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Heroic Dundee mum saved man from overdose after daughter taught her to use life-saving drug

Brenda Lees was taught how to use the life-saving overdose reversal drug by her daughter in January.

Erin and Brenda Lees at the Strathmartine Road bus stop where a man overdosed. Image: Mhairi Edwards/DC Thomson
Erin and Brenda Lees at the Strathmartine Road bus stop where a man overdosed. Image: Mhairi Edwards/DC Thomson

A Dundee mum was able to step in to help a man experiencing an overdose just weeks after being taught how to use the antidote by her daughter.

Brenda Lees was driving through the city on March 11 when she noticed a “commotion” at a bus stop on Strathmartine Road.

Three people were attempting to help a man who was unresponsive and appeared to be experiencing an opioid overdose.

Brenda had learned how to handle this very situation when she attended a Naloxone training session led by her daughter Erin – a recovery programme coordinator for Dundee Volunteer & Voluntary Action (DVVA) – in January.

The 58-year-old was carrying a Naloxone nasal spray kit – an emergency antidote for overdoses caused by heroin and other opiate substances.

The drug reverses breathing difficulties, buying time before medics arrive.

‘He was incoherent, confused, in and out consciousness’

Brenda, who recently retired from her HR role in the NHS, said: “I was driving along and I saw there was a bit of a commotion going on at the bus stop.

“A man was incoherent, confused as to what was going on or where he was, staggering, and in and out of consciousness.

“There was already three people there trying to help because he was falling on the road.

“I asked if I could help and they asked if I had Naloxone, and I said I had it in the car”.

Brenda says she would encourage others to learn how to deliver Naloxone. Image: Mhairi Edwards/DC Thomson

Brenda administered one dose of the life-saving drug to the man, which stabilised him.

She added: “I was bit nervous but I was confident enough to do it because the others were there to help me.

“He became a bit aggressive, but we just kind of humoured him. We tried to talk with him, saying we were there to help him.

“I wasn’t there to judge him – I just wanted to give him a chance to make a better decision another day hopefully.”

The group called for an ambulance before managing to flag down police officers.

‘You never know the circumstances – you can’t make judgments’

Brenda says she would recommend the life-saving training to others.

She said: “I would encourage anybody to do Naloxone training because you just never know the situation you’re going to be in.

“It could be a young person that has tried something for the first time and you’re just there.

“You never know the circumstances, you can’t make judgements really.”

Erin taught her mum how to use Naloxone. Image: Mhairi Edwards/DCThomson

Erin, who has taught dozens of people how to use the medication, says she is proud of her mum.

She explains why training events are so beneficial.

The 25-year-old said: “Anyone aged 16 and over can sign up for training – it’s not just for professionals.

“The training covers how to use Naloxone itself, as well as signs to look out for in someone who has overdosed.

“We also cover the basic first aid around it, and everyone leaves with their own kit.”

How to sign up for naloxone training

Erin says people can sign up for training via the Dundee Recovery Road Map app, which also signposts to a range of drug and alcohol support services.

People can also receive a Naloxone kit and training on how to administer it at Hillcrest Futures’ harm reduction service at the Cairn Centre in Dundee.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 1.05pm on Saturday March 11, officers received a report of concern for a man on Strathmartine Road, Dundee.

“The man was checked over by paramedics at the scene.”

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