A 64-year-old passenger suffered a heart attack on a Lufthansa flight from Germany to Israel but was saved by two Israeli doctors—a married couple—who were also traveling onboard. Ynet reports that Galilee Medical Center senior endocrinologist Dr. Mohammad Badarna and family physician Dr. Miriam Mafra Badarna responded to an intercom request for medical assistance and successfully kept the passenger conscious until the plane landed in Israel.
The couple immediately went to the front of the aircraft, where they found the passenger in serious condition. She was extremely pale, sweating heavily and complaining of intense chest pressure, clear signs of a cardiac event.
The two doctors began emergency treatment and stabilization on the spot. They opened intravenous lines to allow immediate access for fluids and medication, provided oxygen support using the plane’s emergency equipment, administered aspirin to thin the blood and conducted continuous monitoring while maintaining constant verbal contact to keep the patient fully conscious.
The doctors managed to stabilize the woman and remained at her side for the 50-minute remainder of the flight. Magen David Adom paramedics waited on the runway for their arrival and took the recovering passenger to Sheba Medical Center.
Galilee Medical Center doctors are no strangers to working in difficult circumstances, and they are always ready to help those in need—both inside and outside the hospital. We thank God that Dr. Badarna and Dr. Miriam were in the right place at the right time to intervene and save a life. The Fellowship is also proud to support Galilee Medical Center with new medical equipment and facilities to further their lifesaving work.