Since 1999, we have been called out more than 35,000 times. Behind every number is a real person going through the most traumatic time of their life.
Every mission we are called out to this Christmas will cost more than £2,400.
Could ensure the next person we’re called to is kept free from pain.
Could pay for a tourniquet, used to completely stop blood flow to a wound.
Could buy defibrillator pads, used to restart a loved one’s heart.
Could go towards protecting our crew from long-term hearing damage with a pair of acoustic ear defenders.
Whether it’s our helicopter taking flight or our critical care response vehicles hitting the road, every single callout is made possible by supporters like you.
Below you’ll read three life-changing stories from our 25 years at the frontline of saving lives.
In 2018 Laura was putting her two-month-old son, Charlie, into his car seat ready to leave the house for a baby music class when she noticed Charlie’s normal newborn cry suddenly changed to a more strained sound that Laura hadn’t heard him make before.
She realised with a jolt that he had stopped breathing. Quickly taking him out of his seat, Laura felt her baby was floppy and had gone a grey colour. Remembering seeing that there was blood coming out of Charlie’s nose, Laura recalls: “I thought that was it. I thought he was gone.”
Laura had done a first aid course while pregnant with Charlie, so she knew how to give him rescue breaths. She called 999 and a few minutes later, Charlie started breathing slowly. Holding her son in the baby recovery position, Laura began the agonising wait for the emergency services to arrive. “It was only six minutes until the ambulance service and Thames Valley Air Ambulance crew got to us. But those were the longest six minutes of my life. It felt like forever.”
There’s so much I could say to the Thames Valley Air Ambulance crew who came that day. I can’t thank them enough. Without them, Charlie might not be here. We might not have the happy little boy we have today. I want to say thank you a million times over.
Helen set out for a swim on a hot July day, the next thing she knew, she was woken in intensive care ten days later. Her car had collided head-on with an oncoming lorry. Thames Valley Air Ambulance crews worked to treat Helen’s extensive, life-changing injuries.
The impact had shattered the right-hand side of her body, causing head injuries, a broken nose, broken cheekbone, jaw, neck, back, shoulder, ribs, kneecap, ankle, wrist, as well as internal injuries, damage to the carotid artery, numerous lacerations, and a collapsed lung.
Helen spent 10 days in a coma before she regained consciousness. At this point she had no idea what had happened to her, how she’d arrived at hospital even, until our Aftercare service made contact. After saving her life at the scene of the incident, our care has continued long beyond. From the roadside to her hospital bedside, and as she has rebuilt her life at home with our Aftercare team providing seamless support. “My road to recovery would have been far longer without their support.”
The air ambulance didn’t just save me, they saved my children. I know I’ve had life-changing injuries. For my children, to lose me would have been life-changing for them.
In May 2020, the country was in lockdown. Mike McAllister, a then 50-year-old partner at professional services firm BDO, was working from home when his wife Vicki found him lying on the bed complaining of severe cramp in his legs, abdominal pain, and back pain. Vicki called 999 and though he was suffering, Mike was coherent and was able to describe his pain to the operator, who decided to send an ambulance.
At this point, Vicki went to get help from a neighbour, Mark, an intensive care nurse. It took less than ten minutes to fetch Mark but, by the time she re-entered the bedroom, Mike had rapidly deteriorated.
Doctor Oli and critical care paramedic Simon soon arrived on scene. As they set about examining Mike, Doctor Oli began to suspect something called an aortic dissection.
An aortic dissection happens when a tear forms in the body’s main artery. Blood rushes through the tear, causing the aorta to split. It’s quite rare and can be catastrophic. It’s also very difficult to diagnose outside of hospital. But that’s where our crew came in.
Once at the hospital Mike was in surgery for 14 hours, and he didn’t come round for over a week. While the operation had been a success, doctors didn’t know if there had been any neurological damage.
“The hospital said they’d never seen such a bad dissection of the aorta. I began to realise how lucky I’d been.”
Mike’s recovery began slowly with walks to the lamppost near their house. But just months later Mike was back to his usual dog walks.
Short of being in the hospital, there’s no place in the world where I would have received better care than in my bedroom that day with the Thames Valley Air Ambulance crew.
For the last 25 years, our community have kept us on the frontline of saving lives. Our latest Christmas appeal gives a glimpse into some of the people we’ve treated over the years – some of the people who are around this Christmas because of your support.
We know Christmas can be an expensive time. But a donation to our charity isn’t your average Christmas present. It’s a gift to the entire community. If you can, please add Thames Valley Air Ambulance to your shopping list. You could give the gift of life.
