PRIORITY ONE - ISSUE 1 APRIL 2018

QUARTERLY MAGAZINE

ISSUE 1 – APRIL 2018 | WWW.ER24.CO.ZA

MAKE IT YOURS

CAPE EPIC: 658km of care

FIND US ON

IN THIS ISSUE Front page stories 6

658km of Epic care

The 15th Absa Cape Epic came and went and ER24 alongside Mediclinic were the proud medical providers to this extreme mountain-biking event.

Company interest 18

Stepping into the boots of an ER24 medic

Clinical 4

Life-changing robotic surgery

A prostatectomy is by no means minor surgery – and is likely to save John’s life.

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Epilepsy: Debunking myths and identifying ways to help

Awareness 13

Make it click - buckle up

Safety first. Always.

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Listeriosis: What you need to know and do

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Protect your head

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Fighting cancer with hope

ER24 staff 14

The power of a ‘thank you’

Two thank you stories - roughly 1 000 kilometres apart.

ER24 events 26

ER24 out and about

Ashanti Orkney Base and some personnel members from Klerksdrop Ops Base participated in the yearly Cansa Shavathon at Pick’nPay Wilkoppies in Klerksdorp on Saturday 24 February.

CONTACT:

Email: communications@er24.co.za Tel: 0861 084124 Web: https://er24.co.za Emergencies: 084 124

DESIGN AND LAYOUT: Mediclinic Design Studio Ineke van Huyssteen

COPY COMPILED BY: Ineke van Huyssteen Caryn Ross Mediclinic infohub

STOCK IMAGES: iStock (Getty Images) Darren Leite

NEXT EDITION:

The next edition of Priority One will be published at the end of the first quarter of 2018.

NEXT CONTENT DEADLINE:

Content for consideration may be sent to ER24 Communications Department by any staff member or client. Send content to communications@er24.co.za

John Vraagom being treated by one of the Mediclinic Durbanville nursing staff

Life-changing robotic surgery While awaiting pre-meds ahead of surgery to remove his prostate gland, Cape Town builder John Vraagom shared a few jokes. “My job is to build walls: I keep skelms out of your house,” he laughed.

“Now tell me more about the robot that is going to cure my cancer!”

What makes John stand out from other patients in ward B at Mediclinic Durbanville, aside from his quirky charm, is that he is a Tygerberg hospital patient. He has been on the state hospital waiting list for almost six months. Dr Hilgard Ackerman, John’s urologist at Tygerberg hospital, is working together with Dr Gawie Bruwer to extend the offering of robotic surgery to 10 public sector patients. This forms part of Mediclinic’s ongoing collaboration with the Western Cape Department of Health.

John has had his share of heartache in

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his life. One of his four children died in a car accident when she was 19 years old. The sadness on his face slowly subsides as he speaks about his three surviving children, one of whom is a well-known film director and married to a leading lady on the popular soap, 7de Laan. “My children will visit me this evening. But I’m not worried! I feel really positive about today’s surgery,” he says.

A prostatectomy is by no means minor surgery – and is likely to save John’s life. “I’m very grateful to Mediclinic for this surgery. But mostly I am grateful to Dr Ackerman for arranging it for me,” the upbeat patient says. As Dr Bruwer explains: “The precision of the da Vinci aids the thorough removal of cancerous tissue as well as offering the ability to perform nerve-sparing surgery, which enables a faster return of erectile function as well as a better chance for urinary continence. I firmly

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believe that this technology is giving patients the option of improved clinical outcomes that may not be possible with open surgery”.

Dr Bruwer will operate on a further nine Tygerberg hospital patients over the coming months at Mediclinic Durbanville at no cost to either the Department of Health or the patient.

This forms part of a larger ongoing collaboration where Mediclinic has already partnered with the public sector on nearly 100 procedures over the last six months. This is the first time robotic surgery of this nature has been extended to state sector patients through the public-private collaboration.

The Mediclinic surgical facilities, access to the da Vinci robot, nursing staff and expertise from Mediclinic associated doctors, are provided free of charge in a collaboration with the local public-sector hospital.

TAKE THE FIRST STEPS TO A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE THE 16TH OF FEBRUARY 2018 IS HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AWARENESS DAY AND ER24 URGES EVERYONE TO TRY AND LIVE A HEALTHY, HAPPY AND BALANCED LIFESTYLE.

WHERE DO I START?

The most important part is to take that first step. Whether it is getting rid of the sugar in your cup of coffee or walking during your lunch breaks. Dr Robyn Holgate, ER24’s Chief Medical Officer, offers a few ‘steps’ to start living your best life, now.

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE RECOMMENDATIONS • • • • • • • • • •

Lower salt intake Limit alcohol intake Balanced diet (everything in moderation) Exercise regularly Stop smoking Drink more water Eat more fruit and vegetables Spend time with family and friends Spend time outdoors Try and manage your stress

•

Get a good night’s sleep (6-8 hours)

According to Dr Holgate, “good nutrition, exercise and healthy behaviours are critical for longevity.

Chronic lifestyle diseases are related to unhealthy behaviours such as poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and unhealthy behaviours like, for example, tobacco use.”

Eating healthy is not only for those who need to lose weight – everyone should lead a balanced lifestyle.

Take that first step today!

To find out more, visit our website on www.er24.info Volupta doluptam, idel invellature, picipsa eptatiam.

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658KM OF EPIC CARE The 15th Absa Cape Epic came and went and ER24 alongside Mediclinic were the proud medical providers to this world class mountain-biking event.

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Are you tough enough? Riders compete in the 2018 ABSA Cape Epic. Photo courtesy: Cape Epic

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The Epic is a world class event in many aspects; from the logistical side of things to the medical support that was offered. It is no wonder that the early bird tickets of 2019’s Epic was sold out within seconds.

During the 2018 Cape Epic, ER24 had 4x4 ambulances, conventional ambulances, 4x4 response cars, quads and motorbikes on route to supply rapid medical support to riders. The race hospital sees approximately 2400 patients over the typical 8 stages of the Epic.

Throughout the Absa Cape Epic there were several doctors and nurses along the route to ensure that medical help is a radio call away. They were assisted at various points by ER24 paramedics either on quads or bikes posted at points on the day’s route - especially those that are inaccessible by car. In 2018, 1300 participants – made up of 650 teams – took to the trails with about half of these riders coming from outside of South Africa’s borders.

Paul Knoesen, ER24’s National Events Manager and the Medical Coordinator in the VOC, explains why he felt that this was an ‘Epic’ event.

“It was our first Epic whereby ER24 managed the prehospital offering. We had an excellent team of prehospital personnel, ranging from doctors to Advanced Life Support (ALS) paramedics. Each highly trained and very experienced in their field of expertise. From the Venue Operations Centre (VOC) our dedicated call support resource officers and medical commander, alongside various agencies and event organisers, coordinated the safety, security and wellbeing of all the participants, spectators and support staff.

“Each route marshal, medical asset, sweep personnel were real-time live-tracked using satellite tracking and we were able to coordinate and dispatch the closest and most appropriate resource to any incident. It was a great eight days in some of the most beautiful parts of Southern Africa.

Early mornings, long days and late evenings, working alongside an awesome team of staff from Mediclinic

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and ER24. The staff’s passion and enthusiasm was truly remarkable. Each and every one was willing to go the extra mile in providing real help real fast with expertise you can trust,” said Paul.

Kerry Stevens, a Mediclinic employee, also competed in her first Epic.

“I think it is the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. I don’t understand how people come back and do it,” laughed Kerry.

“Every time we saw an ER24 ambulance or a Mediclinic flag, it was like okay, I am okay, I made it! They say you ride water point to water point but I ride ambulance to ambulance.

Mediclinic, you don’t just put us back together but you sort us out mentally too,” said Kerry.

Nigel Payne, a fifth time rider, was also appreciative of ER24 and everyone along the eight stages of the Epic.

“To ER24 and all the medical personnel, we really appreciate you.

We couldn’t do stuff like this without you,” said Payne.

We also wish to congratulate the men’s team winners, Jaroslav Kulhavy (Czech Republic) and Howard Grotts (USA), and the women’s team winners, Annika Langvad (Denmark) and Kate Courtney (USA).

Until next year’s Epic where again we will provide real help real fast with expertise you can trust.

To watch ER24’s videos on the 2018 Cape Epic, scan the QR code or visit youtube.com/er24ems

Main photo: Riders giving it their all during the 2018 Absa Cape Epic.

Photo insert: Kerry Stevens, a Mediclinic employee, completed her first Epic.

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EPILEPSY: DEBUNKING MYTHS AND IDENTIFYING WAYS TO HELP On Monday 12 February 2018, we focused on the start of National Epilepsy Week. Quite often this disorder and those suffering from it are misunderstood. ER24 would like to use this opportunity to highlight the facts over fiction and equip readers to quickly identify whether someone is suffering a seizure.

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hat is epilepsy?

“Epilepsy is a chronic, neurological disorder that causes interference with your brain’s electrical system. This change in electrical impulses may cause brief changes in movement (such as unprovoked or recurrent seizures), behaviour, feeling, or awareness,” explains Dr Robyn Holgate, ER24’s Chief Medical Officer.

She further explains that, “seizures, abnormal movements or behaviour due to unusual electrical activity in the brain, are symptoms of epilepsy. But not all people who appear to have seizures have epilepsy. Approximately 10% of the population will have seizures, and approximately 1% will be diagnosed with epilepsy.

What causes epilepsy?

According to Dr Holgate, there are many causes of epilepsy, most can be categorised according to the age of onset, or a cause may never be found. Some epilepsies are genetic.

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Epilepsy has no identifiable cause in about half the people with the condition. In the other half, the condition may be traced to various factors, including:

• •

• •

Head trauma as a result of a car accident or other traumatic injury.

Brain conditions, such as brain tumours or strokes, can cause epilepsy. Stroke is a leading cause of epilepsy in adults older than age 35.

Infectious diseases, such as meningitis, AIDS and viral encephalitis, can cause epilepsy.

Prenatal injury. Before birth, babies are sensitive to brain damage that could be caused by several factors, such as an infection in the mother, poor nutrition or oxygen deficiencies. This brain damage can result in epilepsy or cerebral palsy.

Debunking the myths Leading up to Epilepsy week, ER24 challenged the public to vote in our two polls via social media. The polls consisted of two possible answers, one being a myth and one being the correct method. Across Twitter and Facebook we had more than 1 713 answers.

POLL 1:

Correct answer: Turn the person to side POLL 2:

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Correct answer: Clear area for safety There are many myths about epilepsy, here are but a few that Dr Holgate wishes to debunk: You can swallow your tongue during a seizure. It is physically impossible to swallow your tongue. If left on your back, your tongue may obstruct your airway, but it’s not possible to swallow your tongue.

You should force something into somebody’s mouth having a seizure. Absolutely not. This could damage teeth, the patient’s jaw and gums. The correct first aid technique is to gently roll somebody onto their side and put something soft under their head (such as a pillow). You should also never restrain somebody having a seizure.

Epilepsy is contagious. You cannot catch epilepsy from another person.

Only kids get epilepsy. Epilepsy may affect people of any age, but in our older population the causes may be as a result of health conditions rather than genetic factors.

People with epilepsy should not be in jobs of responsibility.

Epilepsy is a chronic medical problem, which can be managed with medication. When this condition is wellmanaged, those suffering from epilepsy can be active and valuable members of society. Some people may be able to

valuable members of society. Some people may be able to identify what triggers their epilepsy. This may include lack of sleep, illness, stress, bright or flashing lights, caffeine or alcohol, and skipping meals. Where a trigger is identified these triggers should be avoided if possible.

How does a seizure look? Any signs to look out for?

“Focal or partial seizures may not cause a loss of consciousness. The person may present with alterations to any of the five senses, dizziness, staring blankly, repetitive movements and twitching of limbs. Generalised seizures involve the whole brain and there are many different types.

The type that usually require medical assistance are for are tonic-clonic seizures or grand mal seizures. The symptoms include stiffening of the body, shaking, loss of bladder and bowel control, biting the tongue and loss of consciousness,” says Dr Holgate.

What to do when someone suffers a seizure?

If someone suffers a grand mal tonic-clonic seizure • Ease the person to the floor.

• Turn the person gently onto one side - this will help the person breathe.

• Clear the area around the person of anything hard or sharp. This can prevent injury.

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• • •

Put something soft and flat, like a folded jacket or a pillow, under his or her head.

Remove eyeglasses.

Loosen ties or anything around the neck that may make it hard to breathe.

Call for an ambulance (ER24 084 124) if this continues (usually longer than 5 minutes, you will need medical support).

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For recommendations on what to do when someone suffers a seizure, scan the QR code or visit youtube.com/er24ems

MAKE IT CLICK - BUCKLE UP S

afety first. Always. That is why wearing a seatbelt while driving in a vehicle is of utmost importance. Even if you are just going around the block. Even if you consider yourself a great driver. Accidents can happen at any time.

Children are extremely vulnerable in collisions. Children should be seated in the car and in a car seat if possible.

Never travel with your child on your lap. Never share a seatbelt with your child. Your child or any child has no say or choice not to wear a seatbelt, it is the responsibility and legal obligation of

the driver to make sure they wear it. It just a takes a few seconds to buckle up to help save a life.

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According to Russel Meiring, ER24’s Communications Officer, buckling up is the easiest thing to do to potentially save a life. Yet, people choose to ignore this.

What happens when you don’t wear a seatbelt?

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• •

•

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Your chest can crash into the dashboard/steering column.

Your legs can go into the dashboard.

People not restrained in the back can be thrown from the vehicle.

You can also suffer severe neck injuries due to whiplash.

Meiring further states that “these injuries could potentially be avoided if people just buckle up”.

You can be ejected from the vehicle.

You can go head first into the windshield.

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ER24 medic Pierre van der Merwe standing with Lucretia (left) and her dad Willem Noah (right)

THE POWER OF A ‘THANK YOU’ Two thank you stories - roughly 1 000Volupta kilometres doluptam, idel apart. invellature, picipsa eptatiam.

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uruman – Northern Cape. In June last year, ER24 medics Pierre van der Merwe and Vern Groenewald responded to a motor vehicle collision on the N14 towards Vryburg about 70 kilometres from Kuruman. It is believed that a drunk driver crashed into the back of the bakkie in which Willem Noah and his wife were driving.

Willem sustained critical injuries and his wife sustained moderate injuries after the bakkie rolled and landed on its roof. A 14-year-old girl, who was also traveling with them, also sustained serious injuries.

“He [Willem] was in a critical condition and I really didn’t know if he was going to make it,” said Pierre.

Willem and his wife recovered and was released from hospital.

Earlier this year, Pierre and some of his colleagues from ER24’s Kathu branch were doing marketing in the area when they were approached by Willem and his daughter, Lucretia.

“My dad didn’t know who had treated and transported him that night. I immediately recognised Pierre on the street and told my dad who then couldn’t wait to give his thanks,” said Lucretia.

Willem, who is turning 71 this year, was in a coma for four days after the collision. “I sustained numerous injuries and can’t remember much of that day, but when my daughter spotted Pierre I needed to go and say thank you. I feel so honoured that they were able to save my life that day. All of us survived and with the help of my daughter I wrote them a thank you letter as well. I will always be thankful to Pierre and the rest of the crew,” said Willem.

when he came to greet me,” said Pierre.

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urbanville – Western Cape. On the 10th of January this year, ER24 crews from North Metropole were dispatched to a doctor’s surgery room in Tygervalley, Durbanville for a man complaining of chest pain.

When paramedics arrived on the scene, the patient was suffering severe chest pain. Shortly after the paramedics loaded the patient onto the stretcher, he went into full cardiac arrest. “Without hesitation the stretcher was dropped down to floor level and CPR was started,” said Monard Stockigt, one of the paramedics who treated the patient on the day. “By the time we departed the surgery room, Japie (the patient) was talking to us again and we had placed a simple face mask on his face as well as ECG monitoring.

The time from receiving the call to the handover at the hospital was all within an hour. That is emergency medical care at its best!” said Monard.

In an email sent later to ER24, Marlene Greeff, Japie’s wife, said: “These men are not only highly skilled, but also compassionate and caring, a rare trait that very obviously made all of the difference when it was most needed. The following day, I found them checking up on my husband something, it turns out, they did more than once in 48 hours – just to make sure that he was alive and out of danger. This level of compassion is unheard of and brings many tears to already fragile eyes. A simple thank you could never be enough, but please thank the heroes called Monard Stockigt, Righard Steyn and Grant Bruinders – they are, quite literally, life savers.”

These are just two of the amazing ‘thank you’ stories – we are so proud of each and every one working at ER24. #RealHelpRealFast

“You don’t always get a thank you, but, wow, it was fantastic

Volupta doluptam, idel Volupta doluptam, idel invellature, ER24 medics Grant Bruinders (left) and Righard Steyn (right) standingpicipsa next toeptatiam.

Japie Greeff in hospital. invellature, picipsa eptatiam.

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LISTERIOSIS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW AND DO

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t remains vital that proper hygiene and food safety protocols should be followed in order to prevent the further spreading of the deadly listeriosis outbreak in South Africa.

This comes after Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi announced earlier this month that government has narrowed down the sources of the listeriosis outbreak which resulted in the death of 180 people and the hospitalisation of numerous others. Motsoaledi said the recent outbreak was traced to a facility in Polokwane that produces processed meat products.

The high risk groups for listeriosis are: • Pregnant women • Neonates (first 28 days of life) • Very young infants • Elderly persons > 65 years of age • And anyone with a weakened immune system (due to HIV infection, cancer, diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, etc.)

Persons in high risk groups should: • Avoid consuming dairy products made of unpasteurised milk; deli meats and ready-to-eat meat products such as sausages, hams, patés and meat spreads, as well as cold-smoked seafood (such as smoked salmon); • Read and carefully follow the shelf life period and storage temperatures indicated on the product label.

Here are five keys to safer food to prevent the spreading of listeriosis: • Wash your hands • Separate raw and cooked food • Cook thoroughly • Keep food at safe temperatures

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Use safe water and raw materials

For more information on the five keys to safer food, read the infographic on the next page.

FIVE KEYS TO SAFER FOOD WASH YOUR HANDS • •

Wash your hands before handling food and during food preparation Wash your hands after going to the toilet

• •

Wash and sanitise all surfaces and equipment used for food preparation Protect kitchen areas and food from insects, pests and animals

SEPARATE RAW AND COOKED FOOD • •

Separate raw meat, poultry and seafood from other foods Use separate equipment and utensils such as knives and cutting boards for

•

handling raw foods Store food in containers to avoid contact between raw and prepared foods

COOK THOROUGHLY • •

Cook food thoroughly, especially meat, poultry, eggs and seafood Bring foods like soups and stews to

boil. For meat and poultry, make sure that juices are clear

KEEP FOOD AT SAFE TEMPERATURES • • •

Do not leave cooked food at room temperature for more than 2 hours Refrigerate promptly all cooked and perishable food Keep cooked food hot prior to serving

• •

Do not store food too long, even in the refrigerator Do not thaw frozen food at room temperature

USE SAFE WATER AND RAW MATERIALS • •

Use safe water or treat it to make it safe Select fresh and wholesome foods Choose foods processed for safety,

• •

such as pasteurised milk Wash fruits and vegetables, especially if eaten raw Do not use food beyond its expiry date

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REFERENCE: WHO/SDE/PHE/FOS/01.1

DISTRIBUTION: GENERAL ISSUE 2 – APRIL 2018 | PRIORITY ONE | ORIGINAL: ENGLISH ACCESSED: 6 MARCH 2018 WWW.WHO.INT

OD-18-1

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Stepping into the boots of an ER24 medic

By Annine Siddall

In February, I spent three nights responding to incidents across the Western Cape with our ER24 Medics. As the ER24 multimedia producer and spokesperson, this allowed me to step away from my desk at corporate office and to document what our medics face during the night as part of the new ER24 Night Shift Podcast series.

The podcast series consists of six episodes and can be found on SoundCloud or the ER24 Facebook page.

My first night shift was at the ER24 West Metro branch in Cape Town, where I accompanied Caitlin Mostert to an incident where a patient had fell about eight meters from a facility in Milnerton. I was in awe of how well the young Caitlin treated the patient. To calm the patient down, she laid down on the ground next to the patient and assured her that everything would be okay. The trust she managed to establish with the girl in a matter of minutes was amazing. I had a firsthand encounter of how a paramedic can form a special bond with a patient to help them through a difficult situation.

My second night shift was spent at the ER24 Northern Metro branch in Bellville with partners Heinrich Africa and Davion Poovan. Heinrich is a ball of energy and Davion is calm and collected - total opposites. I discovered how entertaining the team could be well before we had even left on an

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incident. That evening we were called out to a patient in Delft who was experiencing abdominal pain. Delft is classified as one of the Red Zones in the Western Cape and we had to make sure police would be escorting us into the area if we were going to treat the patient. The night took an interesting turn and I feel I had an eye-opening moment sitting in the back of an ER24 ambulance outside the Delft Police Station. I’ve spoken extensively to the media about the difficulties ER24 medics face when they are called out to Red Zones, but for the first time I experienced these challenges for myself. It was more than just getting to the patient in time, it was a rollercoaster of emotions ranging from fear to relief. This, I realised, is what every medic goes through every time they enter one of these areas.

The third and last night shift was spent at the ER24 South Metro branch in Constantia and here I shared time with Liezel Grantham and Bradley Zass. The medics at this branch were all welcoming and very competitive card players. The competitiveness while playing cards soon changed into an extreme focus as I accompanied Bradley to a cancer care home in Athlone. A patient was experiencing severe pain and we had to transport her to hospital. The home was full of elderly women who had been receiving treatment for different forms of cancer.

It was heartwarming to see how carefully Bradley treated these ladies.

He took time to listen to them all, asked

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questions and showed tremendous compassion towards not only our patient, but all her roommates who were concerned about her wellbeing.

He also made sure he explained all procedures and protocols to me and even took time to show me how the different units operate in Groote Schuur Hospital after we handed over the patient.

I truly hope that my podcast series will do these incredible medics justice.

They are selfless human beings and so passionate about every patient they deal with and treat. Thank you all for allowing me to step into your world and thank you for going above and beyond what you had to, to make me feel comfortable and safe during every night shift.

A special thank you to the three ER24 branch managers, Grant Stewart, Shane Fascio and Jason Holm for allowing me to join your respective crews on the road.

To listen to the Night Shift Podcast series, scan the QR Code on this page or visit soundcloud.com/er24ems

Annine Siddall, ER24 multimedia producer, burning the midnight oil while working on a night shift with ER24 medic, Heinrich Africa.

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Bradley Zass

Caitlin Mostert

Liezel Grantham

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PROTECT YOUR HEAD Concussion, contusion, skull fracture‌ these are all types of head injuries. The 20th of March marked World Head Injury Awareness Day - a day dedicated to the prevention of head injuries. Brain injuries may be as mild as concussion or as debilitating as severe brain injuries. ER24 is urging people to use their heads to protect their health.

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R24’s Dr Vernon Wessels explains the types of head injuries one can suffer from.

Understanding head injuries According to Dr Wessels, head injuries could range from simple lacerations to devastating bleeding inside the skull cavity that causes pressure on the brain. This pressure can cause death if the patient is not urgently treated.

“Although injuries involving the skull cavity are usually the most catastrophic, external head injuries can also cause permanent damage or death especially if the airway or major blood vessels are affected,” said Dr Wessels.

Types of head injuries include: Concussion: A concussion is the most common type of head injury. A concussion occurs when the brain undergoes impact that shakes the brain tissue but does not cause bleeding or visible damage to the cells.

“A patient may lose consciousness for a short while and is often confused, disorientated or has poor coordination.

However, the effects return to near normal fairly quickly,” says Dr Wessels.

“Some functions like short-term memory may take much longer to recover and headaches and dizzy spells can last for months after a concussion episode,” he says.

Usually, a concussion is sustained through impact to the head, however indirect force can also cause this. A sad example of bleeding that can occur in the brain of a child is through violent shaking as typically occurs in abuse scenarios.

Contusion: With a contusion, the brain tissue is bruised by the impact and this can cause swelling. As the brain is inside a bony cavity that cannot expand, pressure will build up due to the swelling. This prevents adequate blood supply to the brain, which suppresses its function and can cause permanent damage to the cells and potentially lead to death.

The same happens when there is a bleed inside the skull cavity.

Skull fracture: With a skull fracture there is a risk of bony fragments causing direct damage to the underlying brain tissue. In addition, skull fractures are often associated with a wound of the overlying skin that then causes a pathway for germs to travel from outside into the skull cavity, and potentially causing infection of the brain (encephalitis) or the membranes covering the brain (meningitis). This infection can be life threatening or cause permanent disability.

“However, there are certain signs that can be used to determine when a medical consultation is needed. These include any loss of consciousness, no matter how brief, convulsions after the injury, vomiting, a headache that worsens or does not improve with rest or oral paracetamol, and any visual disturbances or behaviour that is not typical for the child. If there is any doubt, rather consult a doctor,” said Dr Wessels. People must seek medical attention if a head injury leads to loss of consciousness or coordination, visual disturbances and loss in memory no matter how short the effects may have been.

“Life threatening brain injuries can initially present very subtly and a medical assessment will determine if further tests or admission for observation are required. Bleeding and swelling of the brain is potentially treatable with good outcomes if done before serious complications occur.

“The most catastrophic event is a missed bleed inside the skull cavity that can cause severe disability or death. There are however, subtle effects that can present at a later stage such as personality changes, coordination problems, speech difficulty and memory and concentration problems,” said Dr Wessels.

ER24 offers some recommendations of how to protect your head to reduce accidents and brain injury: •

Buckle up.

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Strap children under 3 years (or less than 21kg) in an SABS approved car seat.

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Never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

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Always wear a helmet when on a bicycle, motorcycle, scooter or when horse riding.

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Provide adequate lighting on stairs/rails to hold on to.

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Do not place obstacles in pathways.

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Provide the correct safety equipment for workers.

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Avoid contact sport until fit to return after a concussion.

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Place bars on high windows/secure balconies to avoid children falling from a height.

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Be gun safe.

For more recommendations on how to protect your head, scan the QR code or visit youtube.com/er24ems

Although any head injury should be assessed by a health professional, we should also be realistic – especially when it comes to children.

“Children will sustain minor head injuries mainly due to the relatively large size of the head during early childhood and immature motor skills.

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MIND YOUR HEAD Tuesday, 20 March 2018 marks World Head Injury Awareness Day – a day dedicated to the prevention of head injuries. Head injuries may be as mild as concussion to debilitating, severe brain injuries. ER24 offers some recommendations, at work and home, of how to protect your head and reduce accidents and brain injury: Strap children under Volupta doluptam, idel three years old eptatiam. (or less invellature, picipsa than 21kg) in a SABS approved car seat.

Always wear a helmet when on a bicycle, motorcycle, scooter or when horse riding.

Provide adequate lighting on stairs and rails to hold on to.

Buckle up.

Never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Provide the correct safety equipment for workers.

A FEW MORE IMPORTANT TIPS: • Do not place obstacles in pathways.

• Avoid contact sport until fit to return after a concussion.

• Place bars on high windows and secure balconies to avoid children falling from a height.

• Be gun safe.

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The boys of the Warrior Rugby Academy in their rugby kits Volupta doluptam, idel sponsored by ER24. invellature, picipsa eptatiam.

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An Bakkes and her family

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FIGHTING CANCER WITH HOPE One woman’s story is set to change the lives of other mothers facing the trauma of a cancer diagnosis

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n Bakkes was only 34 years old when she was first diagnosed with Level 4 metastatic cancer.

She was also pregnant with her first child, a boy.

The shock of the diagnosis was one that her doctor couldn’t bear to give her when he first found out.

“My doctor postponed my appointment until the end of the weekend because he didn’t know how to tell a pregnant woman she has level 4 cancer,” remembers An. She went through the remaining months of her pregnancy and gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Luca, 27 weeks later at Kingsbury Hospital in Cape Town. It was a huge relief to her and her family that he was born cancer-free.

“When I was diagnosed with cancer I was scared all the time,” said An. “I was anxious and terrified and worried. I’m a control freak and this diagnosis took all of the control out of my hands.” However, for An, her journey had only just begun. Two years later, just when she found out that she was pregnant with her second child, her cancer resurfaced.

“It was as if I was watching my own movie, again,” she said.

“I can still remember the absolute shock I felt. How I sat and waited for blood test results while the rest of the world carried on as normal. Living with cancer was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.”

Because An was pregnant when she received both her diagnoses, she could not receive any cancer treatment while she carried both Luca and Emma to term. So, while she was pregnant, the cancer was removed through a series of skin scrapes and surgical operations at Cancercare’s Constantiaberg unit. Throughout her second pregnancy and the arduous cancer treatments she received, An’s husband Tiaan and her friends provided her with incredible support.

They were there through every moment and every part of the ordeal, and they shared her joy when baby Emma was born, also cancer-free.

“The same nursing sister had supported me through Luca’s birth and she was there for me again with Emma,” adds An. “We were all so happy to hear the news that both my Volupta doluptam, idel by my cancer.” children weren’t touched invellature, picipsa eptatiam.

From cancer, a miracle Throughout both her cancer ordeals, An battled with anxiety and fear. Understandable emotions considering what she was going through and the terrible timing of each diagnosis.

But instead of enduring her anxiety, she decided to develop a model that would help other people to live with their fear.

“During my second cancer diagnosis I did my MPhil in Business Coaching and used anxiety as the theme for my thesis,” explains An. “I had survived cancer twice and learned so much through this journey that it was important for me to share my learnings with other people who could benefit from it.”

An wrote a book entitled Embracing Anxiety: Coming back with hope, and it details her cancer story and provides others with tools and insights to help them overcome their own fears. Every chapter is designed to provide practical examples that help readers to face their fears and anxieties in their daily lives.

On 07 April 2018, An will be celebrating her seventh year cancer free. When Emma was three months old, the last cancer was removed from her body and she has remained clear ever since. An’s story is the very definition of hope.

She overcame huge obstacles to be where she is today, and she is incredibly grateful. “Cancer is not a death sentence,” she says. “You must find hope in every situation and be grateful for everything you have. My research has shown that people who live a life of gratitude and grace have a 75% chance of healing completely.”

Today An is grateful for her two healthy children, a new life, a fresh understanding of cancer and its impact on other people’s lives, her wonderful husband and family, and her ability to use her story to help others overcome their fears. “I remember holding Emma in my hands, looking at her and wondering how I was going to overcome this second round of cancer, when Luca came running into the ward,” remembers An. “He wasn’t supposed to be there! But in he ran, with joy all over his face and I knew in that moment that he also brought hope. My healthy two-year old son brought me the hope I needed to keep going.”

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ER24 OUT AND ABOUT

Above and below: Ashanti Orkney Base and some personnel members from Klerksdrop Ops Base participated in the yearly Cansa Shavathon at Pick’nPay Wilkoppies in Klerksdorp on Saturday 24 February. Two personnel members also donated hair and the rest of the personnel shaved their hair. Funds of R3000 was donated from Ashanti Orkney Base.

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| PRIORITY ONE | ISSUE 1 – APRIL 2018

ABOVE: Spraying hair in support of the Cansa Shavathon held at the Pick’nPay in Wilkoppies in Klerksdorp.

ABOVE: Donating hair to Cansa.

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On 10 February, ER24 assisted at the Hope for Mia Cara Fun Run/Walk at Simonsig in Stellenbosch. The event was held to help raise the funds that is needed for Mia Cara Ferreira to receive her T-Cell Therapy abroad. The now 6-year-old was diagnosed at the age of three with Acute Lymphhoblastic Leukaemia. Mia Cara was supposed to end her treatment in November 2017 and with everything going so well, her parents thought it was only a matter of time before they could bid this nightmare farewell. But, after 21 months of intense chemotherapy, lumber punctures and bone marrow biopsies, she had a relapse.

“The event was a success and we managed to raise a total

of R19 000. I was definitely overwhelmed at one stage from all the love that I felt from everyone that attended and from the people who offered up their day to help us with this event. ER24 was the medical provider on the day and they did an excellent job. Even though there were no accidents or any trouble they were most definitely ready for action,” said Lesleigh Steyn, a family member.

“We felt very honoured to assist in the event and it was a pleasant day with lots of great people around. It was so nice to see that the community comes together to assist in events like this,” said Navesh Singh, ER24 Branch Manager East Metropole.

Above: ER24 medics and Lesleigh Steyn, a family member of Mia Cara.

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