Rapid response saves UK student from stroke in Suzhou

A 20-year-old international student from England was saved from a potentially fatal stroke last week in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, thanks to the city's rapid and integrated emergency medical response.

The student collapsed on Aug 12 while participating in a summer exchange program at a university in Suzhou. His breathing was faint, and he lost consciousness after falling.

Yang Xiaoping, from Suzhou's emergency command center, received the emergency call and quickly determined that the patient required immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Yang was joined by Zhou Jie, an ICU physician from Suzhou Hospital, who provided precise guidance on executing CPR and other pre-hospital medical procedures via an online first aid platform, supported by nearby bystanders. They also instructed on the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED).

Once the ambulance arrived, the patient was connected to an electronic CPR device to maintain uninterrupted chest compressions during transport. Paramedics transmitted his vital signs and other critical data to the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University.

Upon arrival at the hospital, the emergency team continued CPR for seven more minutes until they successfully resuscitated a heartbeat and pulse. After completing CT scans and other tests, the patient was diagnosed with a stroke triggered by brain inflammation and was transferred to the intensive care unit.

Over the following week, the young man's condition steadily improved, and he is now stable.

Doctors emphasized that the successful rescue underscores the importance of a well-integrated emergency response system. "He's recovering very well," said Lu Fan of the emergency team. "For critical cases like cardiac arrest, each step—from on-scene CPR to ambulance care to hospital resuscitation—must operate flawlessly. That's what allowed this ideal outcome despite the language barrier—his responsiveness and our coordinated, multidisciplinary care."

"We are building a systematic public emergency model based on cooperation between AEDs, volunteers, and the emergency rescue dispatch system to initiate a response the moment the emergency call comes in," said Zhang Zhifang, deputy director of the Suzhou Health Commission.

Lu also revealed that the patient is now able to eat and get out of bed.

The young man's parents, who flew to Suzhou on Aug 15, expressed their gratitude: "We're so grateful to everyone—the university staff, ambulance team, Doctor Lu, and all who saved his life," said the father. "We hope to bring our son home alive and well, which would have been impossible without everything everyone has done."

The hospital noted that the online first aid platform, supported by Tencent and launched in July, played a crucial role in the rescue. The platform has already facilitated nine cardiac arrest rescues in its first month of operation.

"Previously, we relied only on voice instructions over the phone, which was quite limiting," said Wang Liang, deputy director of Suzhou's emergency command center. "Video allows our dispatchers to see the actual scene in real time for more precise guidance."

So far, over 28,000 volunteers in Suzhou have completed CPR training, with 22,000 certified as emergency responders. Public AEDs have been installed at major landmarks such as metro stations, with more planned for malls, parks, campuses, and other high-traffic areas, including the university where this incident occurred.