Woman’s life saved by medical staff on duty outside Shrine

Michael Commins

THE co-ordinator of the voluntary emergency services on duty for the Papal Visit to Knock, John Egan, has confirmed that a total of 63 patients were treated at their medical centres on Sunday. Two were transferred by ambulance to University Hospital Galway while all the others were discharged after treatment.
It is understood that a woman from the general Williamstown/Castlerea area suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed around 7am on the Kilkelly road entrance to the village. The woman, in her mid-50s, became critically ill and was attended to on the spot by the response team from the Order of Malta, a doctor and some HSE staff. She was then removed to the medical primary care centre in the Shrine grounds.
Following further stabilisation treatment, she was transferred to an ambulance for the journey to Galway. She remained in a serious condition in the hospital yesterday (Monday).
Another woman suffered a broken wrist in a fall along the N17 close to the Kiltimagh road bridge. Three medical centres and three first-aid tents were located on the shrine grounds where the Order of Malta had 120 personnel on duty, backed up by seven doctors and many other medical assistants. 
There were also a number of medical tents out in the car park fields and these were maintained by the Civil Defence, Red Cross, Order of Malta and St John Ambulance services, backed up by the HSE.
A lot of people, in addition to the 63 that were registered for special treatment at the centres, were also treated for hypothermia around the grounds as the heavy rain impacted a lot on those who arrived in the early hours when the downpour was at its height.
Months of planning went into coordinating what was a major logistics operation at the weekend.
‘Top class’
“Everyone played their role and I feel the service we all provided was top class. Some of us were on duty from 2am right through until we scaled it all down around 4pm on Sunday afternoon.
“We also had strong support from the Gardai Siochana which enables our vehicles to move freely with access to all areas where we were needed at any time,” said John Egan.
This was the second time that John, who is also the Regional Hospitaller of the Order of Malta, served in the capacity of Coordinator of the Voluntary Emergency Services. “I had the same role back in 1979 when Pope John Paul came to Knock. Msgr James (Horan) asked me to take charge of the operation at the time because I was deeply involved with emergency treatment of pilgrims to the Shrine and from the area.
“It was a special privilege for me to be given the same responsibility again this weekend, linking the two historic visits 39 years apart.”