'˜Chorley A&E saved my life' says stab victim Jessica Knight

Those are the words of stab victim Jessica Knight, who suffered a horrendous attack at the hands of a crazed knifeman in 2008.

The 22-year-old, who was 14 at the time, was stabbed 23 times and medics at Chorley and South Ribble Hospital battled to save her life.

Now, following the shock announcement that the A&E department at the hospital will close from Monday, Jessica has warned that those behind the decision have “signed a lot of death sentences”.

Jessica, who lives in Buckshaw Village, said: “I wouldn’t be here for a start, definitely not, if that A&E hadn’t been there.

“There were four doctors and surgeons working on me - they were going to go home and then I ruined their day.

“The police had to drive the ambulance so the paramedics could have more hands to work on me.

“If they had driven to Preston, I would have bled to death.

“The doctor said to me that if it had been five minutes more, I wouldn’t be alive.

“So I wouldn’t have made it to another hospital.

“They have signed a lot of death sentences by closing the A&E.”

Jessica, who studies art and design at Blackburn College, said she feared for the safety of Chorley residents with the closure of A&E.

She said: “Time is critical for a stroke to be taken care of.

“I understand mine was a rare case, but there are a lot of elderly people, they will have major set backs like strokes.”
She said time was critical in situations such as strokes, asthma attacks and major allergic reactions, and is now supporting a campaign to protect Chorley A&E from cuts to services.

Jessica will be designing campaign posters to try to protect the department, and said: “They really did save my life.”

Read the previous stories on the A&E closure:

‘How can you prioritise patient safety by closing an A&E department?’

‘Closing this site will put more patients at risk’