The Leonardo Hinckley Island Hotel buzzed with extraordinary energy on Saturday, 17th May 2025, as we hosted our landmark “10 Years Together” conference. What began with just 13 strangers meeting in a London pub in February 2015 has flourished into a thriving community managing groups with collectively well over 3,000 members, bringing together almost 200 attendees for this milestone celebration.
The dedication of our community was evident in the distances people travelled to be with us. Attendees journeyed from across the UK and beyond (France and Italy), with many making significant trips to be part of this special gathering. The event attracted a wonderful mix of both first-time attendees and returning community members, creating the perfect blend of fresh perspectives and familiar faces that makes our gatherings so special.
Your response to our feedback request was overwhelming—over a third of attendees shared their thoughts with us, and their insights have been both positive and profoundly moving. These responses highlight what makes our events so vital to the cardiac arrest community and underscore the profound impact of bringing together people who truly understand this unique journey.
The Unspoken Lifeline: Feeling Understood and Not Alone
The most powerful theme emerging from your feedback centres on the irreplaceable value of peer support. Many described feeling isolated or like a “unicorn” after their cardiac arrest—understandable given the low survival rates and rarity of meeting others who truly comprehend this experience. The “10 Years Together” event provided a precious opportunity to connect face-to-face with people who “GET IT”.
One attendee captured this perfectly:
“[the] opportunity to be with other people, who understand what we have been through, was extremely special”.
Another shared:
“[I] absolutely love these meet-ups, crucial to my healing process. Great to catch up with others who have experienced the same. There aren’t many other people I see or speak to on a day-to-day basis who ‘get it’ but most others here do.”
This shared experience creates an instant bond that transcends typical social barriers. It’s a consistent thread in feedback from all SCA UK events, including our previous large gatherings, “Not Alone” (2019) and “Survive and Thrive” (2023), where attendees have described meeting fellow survivors as the “best experience” since their cardiac event and likened it to receiving “therapy”. Being among people who share this common journey is “extremely valuable”, providing “understanding and experience of real people.”
Knowledge is Power: Valuable Sessions and Expert Insights
Beyond the invaluable peer connections, our educational sessions received exceptional praise for their relevance and practical value. Attendees overwhelmingly rated sessions as “extremely relevant” or “very relevant” and “extremely helpful” or “very helpful”.
The morning began with everyone together, featuring an emotional and inspiring video that reflected on ten years of our community. This set the scene for a shared learning experience that strengthened our bonds.
All sessions received outstanding feedback, with attendees appreciating how our expert speakers, including leading cardiologists and clinical psychologists, conveyed complex medical information in clear, accessible ways. As one attendee shared: “The speakers were excellent, very informative and put across in a way that was easy to understand.” Another noted: “All the sessions were brilliant and informative”.
The afternoon breakout sessions provided crucial spaces for more focused discussions. The dedicated forums for survivors and co-survivors provided an open space for the sharing and processing of experiences, while the Healthcare Professionals track offered valuable insights for medical professionals. As one participant noted, the co-survivor meeting was “useful for chatting with others,” and the CPR training sessions offered practical, life-saving skills that one attendee considered “worth the price of admission.”
Distinguished Guests and European Recognition
We were honoured to welcome several exceptional guests who elevated our event with their expertise and support. Professor William Toff deserves special recognition for his masterful MC duties throughout the day, keeping our packed agenda flowing seamlessly while maintaining the warm, inclusive atmosphere that defines our community.
We extend our deepest gratitude to our distinguished guests: Dr Dawn Adamson (NHS England Speciality Advisor on Cardiology), Dr Federico Semeraro (European Resuscitation Council Chair), and Dr Luke Evans MP (Shadow Minister of State for Health). Their presence underscored the growing recognition of our community’s importance within the broader healthcare landscape.
Dr Semeraro’s contribution proved particularly significant, offering valuable insights from a European perspective. His reflection that SCA UK was just one of six similar organisations across Europe—and probably the largest globally—validated our approach and impact. His comment that he wanted to “copy and paste” what we had achieved because it was a winning formula stands as a powerful testament to the unique model we’ve developed over the past decade.
Healthcare Professionals Track: Learning from Each Other
The afternoon Healthcare Professionals track, running in parallel with survivor and co-survivor breakout sessions, created valuable opportunities for the cross-pollination of ideas and perspectives. We extend our sincere thanks to Dr Vicky Joshi and Dr Marco Mion, along with their co-speakers, for organising and delivering sessions that proved invaluable to medical attendees.
Healthcare professionals particularly valued this “unique and ‘one of its kind’ event with a mix of survivors, co-survivors and HCP, allowing HCP to see things from the other perspective”. Many found speaking with survivors to be “very moving… and a timely reminder of what the job is all about.” The chance to gain insight into the long-term impact of sudden cardiac arrest and discuss improvements to post-arrest care pathways proved invaluable for their professional development.
Seamless Organisation and Welcoming Atmosphere
Coordinating an event that brings together hundreds of people with diverse needs represents a significant logistical challenge, and we were delighted by your positive feedback on our organisation and atmosphere. The event earned descriptions such as “Fantastic”, “Extremely well organised”, and even “Better organised than most corporate events”.
Attendees praised our “precision planning,” the helpfulness of volunteers and trustees, and the clear communication before and during the event. The Leonardo Hinckley Island Hotel and its facilities received positive reviews, with many appreciating the ample parking and comfortable accommodations. The unofficial Friday evening gathering allowed early arrivals to begin connecting before the main event.
Small touches made significant differences—the coloured lanyards identifying different attendee types were highlighted as a simple but effective innovation that “makes conversation start-ups so much easier” and helps everyone feel more comfortable and approachable.
The evening brought our community together in a different way, with attendees praising both the excellent meal and the entertainment that followed. Trevor Cline’s mesmerising magic and Dr Rohin Francis’s hilarious talk provided a fabulous and uplifting end to what had been an emotionally rich day. The relaxed atmosphere of the evening celebration, filled with laughter and wonder, gave people the perfect opportunity for deeper conversations and connections to flourish. As one attendee reflected: “The evening entertainment was fantastic – exactly what we needed after such an emotional day”.
We also received valuable constructive feedback, including suggestions for clearer signage, more diverse and healthier food options, making session content available post-event, and allowing more time for interactive discussions. This input proves invaluable for improving future events.
Perspectives from Partners and Professionals
The “10 Years Together” event effectively united our community, including healthcare professionals, exhibitors, and sponsors. Their feedback highlights the distinctive value of this integrated approach.
Medical professionals highlighted the importance of connecting directly with the patient community to gain a fresh perspective. One noted the “invaluable opportunities to meet professionals, survivors & co-survivors”, while another shared how the event “helped me to gain a different perspective” on their work in cardiac arrest training. They valued both the educational content and networking opportunities that forged useful professional contacts.
Exhibitors and sponsors found meaningful value in meeting attendees and discussing their services or products. Their feedback also praised the excellent organisation and the opportunity to connect with people sharing common interests and goals.
Beyond the Day: Lasting Impact and Giving Back
The “10 Years Together” event’s impact extends far beyond a single day. Attendees spoke of feeling “buoyant” and part of something truly valuable. For new survivors and co-survivors, attending represented a “huge decision from a psychological point of view”, but one that left them “so glad that we made the effort as it was such a worthwhile and extremely well organised event”.
The connections forged, knowledge gained, and feeling of being genuinely understood contribute significantly to recovery journeys. Many long-term survivors mentioned attending not just for personal benefit, but also “to help others” and “to give back to the charity.” This embodies the true spirit of our community. In this place, shared experiences foster mutual support and determination to ensure that others don’t face the isolation some experienced in their early days.
A Decade of Togetherness and the Path Forward
The “10 Years Together” event serves as a powerful testament to the incredible community that has evolved since the first meeting in 2015. Your feedback confirms that these gatherings remain crucial for helping people navigate life after cardiac arrest. Being with others who “get it” provides a unique and irreplaceable form of support that cannot be replicated elsewhere.
We sincerely appreciate every attendee—survivors, co-survivors, rescuers, medical professionals, exhibitors, sponsors, and supporters—for making this day so special. A special thank you to our sponsors: Resuscitation Council UK, WEL Medical, Edwards, Terumo, Abbott, and NIPRO. We also want to acknowledge everyone who donated raffle prizes (they were awesome!), Karl Perry, Ellie Gudde, Alasdair Balgarnie (photos) and the incredible team of volunteers and speakers whose dedication made this event possible. Thank you all!
The success of “10 Years Together”, highlighted by your fantastic feedback, reinforces our commitment to our mission: providing peer support, delivering valuable information, and advocating for better post-discharge care for everyone affected by sudden cardiac arrest.
If you missed this event, don’t worry. Watch for announcements about future SCA UK meetups and conferences.
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After our first meet-up in February 2015, I realised I was not alone. It was the first time since my cardiac arrest the previous year that I had spoken face-to-face with someone who had experienced what I had. This was also true for my wife, who also happened to be my lifesaver. From that meet-up, the idea of SCA UK was born. Since then, we have achieved a considerable amount, primarily providing information, resources and support to others in a similar situation but also raising the profile of survivorship and the need for better post-discharge care. We are starting to get traction in this, and with the formation of the charity, I genuinely believe we have a bright future ahead and will make a significant difference in the lives of many who join our ranks.