The drama unfolded when Jennifer was walking around the hospital - with her interpreter KimLeng - to assess what medical equipment the charity could purchase for the hospital - when she spotted an elderly Khmer (Cambodian) lady who wasn't breathing properly and was urgently in need of oxygen. Jennifer was able to step in to assist the doctor - whilst her interpreter - Kim Leng - ran back to the training room - where the the charity were training 60 Khmer healthcare staff - to get a mask and airway - to help the patient. Between them they were able to save the lady's life.
Jennifer said: 'I was just really pleased to help the lady. To be honest I didn't really give it a second thought. It's what I do every day when I'm at work on the Intensive Care Unit at the RLI. It's what our fantastic NHS doctors and nurses do day-day-out. I work alongside an amazing team there and they would have done exactly the same thing. I just jumped in to help and do what I could. I couldn't have done it without KimLeng though. He was amazing. This is the first time I've ever done anything like this before. I haven't even travelled on my own before! My mum was a little worried about me coming to Cambodia - as mum only knew what she had seen on the news year ago about Cambodia. She knew about the atrocities which were committed by Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge but the country is very different now. This has been the best experience of my life and I have loved every minute of it. The staff working in the hospital do such a great job without most of the equipment we use back home. I am so grateful to Sue and the charity for giving me this incredible opportunity. It's something I will never forget."
Jennifer has been joined in Cambodia by UHMBT nurse endoscopist nurse - Tracy Earle and Rebecca Parker, an Anaesthetist Specialist Rgistrar Doctor at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust. Between them they delivered training to sixty Khmer healthcare staff and medical students.