Doctor at his mother's funeral provides CPR to woman in cardiac arrest

Woman in her 80s collapses in Haifa cemetery, doctor provides CPR, forced to determine her death

AN MDA AMBULANCE at Dor Beach after a man drowned at the beach on Saturday afternoon, June 12 2021 (photo credit: MDA SPOKESPERSON)
AN MDA AMBULANCE at Dor Beach after a man drowned at the beach on Saturday afternoon, June 12 2021
(photo credit: MDA SPOKESPERSON)

A senior doctor had to take a short break from taking part in his mother's funeral on Thursday to provide life-saving treatment for a woman in cardiac arrest.

An 80-year-old woman, also a participant at the same funeral, collapsed at Barosh Gate at the entrance of the Haifa cemetery.

A doctor on location, who happened to be the deputy director of Rambam Health Care Campus, immediately began resuscitation protocol including CPR, but eventually had no choice but to pronounce her dead at the scene.

What happened once the medics arrived?

When the medics from Magen David Adom arrived at the cemetery, they found the doctor providing CPR to the unconscious woman. She was given a single shock with a defibrillator.

 THE JEWISH CEMETERY. (credit: MarkDavidPod)
THE JEWISH CEMETERY. (credit: MarkDavidPod)

MDA medics continued providing CPR upon their arrival, but they eventually concurred with the doctor in declaring her death.