Three KTPH nurses revive man in cardiac arrest at Yishun basketball court

Three off-duty nurses from Khoo Teck Puat Hospital—Eroe Berbenzana, Benson Salvador Li Hian, and Dioanes Barcelon Urcia—sprang into action when a player collapsed during a basketball game at a court near the hospital in Yishun on Aug. 14, 2026. The man had gone into cardiac arrest, his body stiffening, face turning blue, and pulse absent. Berbenzana immediately recognised the severity and called the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) for emergency assistance, while Urcia retrieved an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and Salvador remained with the patient as a bystander began CPR.

The nurses applied the AED and delivered a shock as CPR continued, stabilising the man until SCDF paramedics arrived and took over. By the time they reached Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, the man was fully conscious and able to speak. The three nurses were later presented with the SCDF Community First Responder Award and Community Lifesaver Award in recognition of their courage and swift response, with Berbenzana noting that "the nurse in [him] never really switches off" even off duty.

• 15 Aug 2026mothership.sg