'You could one day need the Air Ambulance'

You never know when you might need the Air Ambulance. It's funny how an ordinary day can be turned upside down in an instant. Today we have a guest blog post, written by one of our former patients, Sam Shoesmith, 20. Five years ago today, Sam's life was saved by Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA). This is his story.

Five years ago, on this very day, my life changed massively.

It was just an ordinary Friday, and if I remember correctly, it was quite a nice autumn morning.  I had just said bye to my Mum as she left for work.  As I went upstairs to get ready, suddenly a headache came on.  If you imagine the worst headache you have ever had, that just describes it.  Over the next seven minutes, the headache got worse and worse; pulsating and thumping until all I remember was lying motionless on the floor with my eyes open and not being able to respond to sister who was by my side.  Then it went dark.

I’d had a brain haemorrhage.

I was brought out of a coma a couple of days later and discovered that I was in John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford – a neurosurgery specialist.  I had needed emergency brain surgery to remove the blood leakage which had clotted on my brain.

I live in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire which is about an hour and a half from John Radcliffe.  Depending on the traffic, it could have taken longer for a normal land ambulance to get me there.  Thankfully, the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance was available.  It flew me from Kettering General Hospital to John Radcliffe Hospital in just over 20 minutes.

Whilst speaking to the surgeon who operated on me, he said time was of the essence.  If it had not been for Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance being available, I would most probably not be here today. 

I am so, so thankful to Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance.   Before this happened to me, I thought of the Air Ambulance as something only used at road traffic accidents, horse riding incidents or heart attacks.  I, being the relatively fit teenager, on my half-term break from school, would never have dreamt that I would have needed it.

Just like me you could one day need it.  It is a vital service and it receives no Government or National Lottery funding so it needs your donations.  Please donate today.