Father-of-two receives life-saving heart surgery following heart attack

A North Staffordshire father-of-two who had life-saving heart surgery will feature in Wednesday’s (3 August) episode of the Channel 5 programme, 999 Critical Condition, filmed at University Hospitals of North Midlands.

Elton Wood, from Cross Heath, Newcastle-Under-Lyme, recognised what was happening to him after witnessing his own father’s heart attack when he was just nine-years-old.

He was rushed to the Critical Care Unit at Royal Stoke University Hospital to receive emergency care.

Today the 50-year-old, from Newcastle-under-Lyme, said: “I got up for work, like any other day really but started to feel really breathless, and then I was sick. My wife told me to take a paracetamol and go to bed but I couldn’t sit still and just generally felt uncomfortable which made me realise I was having a heart attack. 

“I was with my Dad when he suffered his heart attack when he was 42-years-old. I knew the signs and my symptoms were exactly the same. It was confirmed by the paramedics once they arrived and ran their tests that it was what I thought.”

At Royal Stoke Elton, who is father to 20-year-old James and 21-year old Jacob, was advised by Consultant Cardiologist, Dr Mark Gunning that he would need a stent fitted urgently to clear the blockage and to minimise the reoccurrence of another life-threatening heart attack or cardiac arrest.

The self-employed builder said: “Dr Gunning was excellent; he was so reassuring before my operation, he put me at ease and he was just brilliant. The care I received from everyone when I was on the ward after my operation was amazing too!”

He added: “I feel great now; I am waiting for a follow up appointment with Dr Gunning and I will be having an exercise test soon.”