Air Ambulance Week takes-off across the UK this week!
Air Ambulance Week 2021 takes-off across the UK from 6th to 12th September, with air ambulance charities across the country delivering the vital message that Every Second Counts and Every Penny Matters when saving the lives of people with a sudden life-threatening injury or medical emergency. The week also calls on people to help support their local air ambulance charity.
Air Ambulance Week is the only week in the year dedicated to raising awareness and funds for the vital lifesaving work of air ambulance charities and is organised by Air Ambulances UK, the national charity that supports, champions and represents UK air ambulance charities, enabling them to save even more lives.
Through sharing patient stories, the week raises awareness of how air ambulance charities save thousands of lives every year by rapidly delivering advanced lifesaving pre-hospital care directly to the side of patients at the scene of a life-threatening injury or medical emergency; essentially bringing the A&E department to the patient when every second counts towards survival.
The event also highlights that air ambulance charities collectively make over 500 lifesaving missions a week across the UK – a total of around 30,00 a year – providing vital support to the NHS and forming an important part of the UK’s frontline emergency services.
Each air ambulance lifesaving mission costs on average around £2,500-£3,500 and is almost entirely funded by donations. That’s why every penny matters and why Air Ambulances UK is calling on people all over the UK to support their local air ambulance to ensure they can continue to save the lives of people like Madi who was just two-and-a-half years old when she was critically injured after being kicked in the face by a passing horse last year on a socially distanced walk with her family in Surrey. Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS) flew to the scene to rapidly deliver lifesaving pre-hospital care to Madi.
Madi’s mum Jen:
“I don’t remember at what point the air ambulance landed, but I remember feeling a huge sense of relief that Madi was in the best hands. The crew spent about 20 minutes on scene assessing Madi’s injuries and deciding what immediate care she needed. Then they moved Madi and her daddy to the helicopter and flew them to St George’s, arriving 12 minutes later.
“Sadly, Madi suffered a number of facial fractures and damage to her right eye. She’s had four surgeries over the past year and still has a long road ahead, but I’m so pleased to say she is recovering really well.
“KSS provide lifesaving specialist critical care at the roadside and have saved thousands of lives like Madi’s. They were there for me and my family at a time when we so urgently needed help, and for that we’ll be forever thankful.”
How to support your local air ambulance charity during Air Ambulance Week
To celebrate Air Ambulance Week, Air Ambulances UK, Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland and Raffolux, the online raffle company, have partnered to launch the Every Second Counts prize draw, where people can enter to win an Audi Q3 and support their local air ambulance charity. To play please visit www.everysecondcountsraffle.co.uk.
Alternatively, you can get in direct contact with your local air ambulance charity and find out about other ways to donate by visiting https://www.airambulancesuk.org/air-ambulance-week-2021/
Simmy Akhtar, CEO, of Air Ambulances UK said:
“A sudden life-threatening injury or illness can happen to anyone, anywhere at any time. When it happens, every second counts towards survival. That’s why the vital lifesaving work of air ambulance charities is so important and why we are encouraging everyone to support their local air ambulance during Air Ambulance Week.
“With many air ambulance charities experiencing a significant rise in callouts and many fundraising activities over the past year being adversely effected by COVID-19, now more than ever, air ambulance charities need support to ensure they can save even more lives.”
