‘Thanks to him, I’m here today’: Hospital hero’s quick thinking saves colleague’s life

A planned training session turned into a rescue mission for an NHS worker who had a “feeling something wasn’t right” with a colleague.Mark Collins, a moving & handling facilitator at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Lynn, was due to deliver a regular training session with staff nurse Corinne Cutting.However, when Corinne failed to arrive for work and had not called in sick, Mark immediately sensed that something was wrong.

Knowing Corinne’s husband, John, had been an inpatient at the hospital for the past week, Mark’s concern grew. He had a gut feeling that Corinne might be in distress.“I just had a feeling that something wasn’t right,” Mark explained.“I knew she was at home alone, and I thought I should check on her. It’s hard to explain, but my instinct told me I needed to act fast.”

Mark attempted to reach Corinne by phone, but when there was no answer, he decided to drive the 11 miles to her home in Marshland St James. When he arrived, he found the door unlocked and Corinne crying out for help.Corinne had collapsed after experiencing a sudden adrenal crisis related to her long-standing condition Addison’s disease – a rare disorder of the adrenal glands. When levels of the hormone cortisol significantly fall, the condition causes a medical emergency and if left untreated, it can be fatal.

Mark, who has more than 20 years of emergency experience in the fire and ambulance services, immediately called for an ambulance.After being transported to the QEH’s emergency department, Corinne was admitted to the same ward as her husband, Windsor Ward.Thanks to Mark’s quick action, Corinne’s condition stabilised within 72 hours, and both she and her husband were discharged home in time for Christmas. “I’m so incredibly grateful to Mark,” said Corinne, who has worked at the hospital for 20 years.“If it wasn’t for his instinct to check on me, I shudder to think what might have happened. Mark didn’t hesitate, and thanks to him, I’m here today.”Mark’s timely intervention has been praised by the hospital’s CEO Alice Webster, who said: “Mark’s quick thinking and selflessness are truly commendable.”She added: “We are extremely fortunate to have team members like Mark, who not only care deeply for their colleagues but also act without hesitation when others are in need.“I am delighted that Corinne is recovering well, and I am immensely grateful to Mark for ensuring she got the help she needed.”