Wigan > Kingston
200 miles
Lucy AAC flew Lucas over 200 miles from Wigan Hospital near Manchester to Kingston Hospital in Surrey to receive neonatal care closer to home. After Lucas’s Lucy AAC transfer, his mum Jenny wrote about their experiences. Please read their story below:
“I was 30 weeks pregnant and had travelled to the Yorkshire Dales for my last weekend away before my baby was due. Three hours after arriving my waters broke and I went straight to Lancaster Hospital. Later that night my husband joined me and after two anxious nights we were told we were being transferred to Wigan’s Royal Albert Edward Infirmary as they had no neonatal beds.
On arrival both myself and baby were closely monitored. Steroid injections were given to encourage the baby’s lungs to mature but when I started to show signs of infection the baby needed to be delivered by Caesarean section. He was nursed in an incubator to help regulate his temperature whilst oxygen levels, blood and breathing were monitored. He was receiving medication, intravenous fluids and UV therapy for jaundice.
Once the neonatal team were happy he was stable to transfer, we had to resolve how he could travel the distance of 200 miles to a hospital closer to home. Lucy AAC was mentioned which was a huge surprise! We thought we would be in Wigan much longer. The medical team liaised with Lucy AAC, who agreed to transfer Lucas. Tim and I hadn’t seen our daughter for over a week but the prospect of Lucas travelling by plane at five days old was worrying however the Charity answered every question we had.
“The medical team liaised with Lucy AAC, who agreed to transfer Lucas. Tim and I hadn’t seen our daughter for over a week but the prospect of Lucas travelling by plane at five days old was worrying however the Charity answered every question we had.
Lucas was supported by specialist nurses during the ambulance transfers and flight who were kind and respectful whilst Lucy AAC reassured and updated us throughout the transfer. He progressed well at Kingston Hospital and his sister could visit meaning we could spend time with them both. Lucas was discharged home after 16 days.
Lucy AAC turned what was an exceptionally scary and stressful experience into a journey with a positive outcome. Their kindness and professionalism appears to know no bounds. We will always be grateful for how the Charity were able to help us. We hope their amazing work continues to help families who find themselves in unexpected and exceptional circumstances like we did. We don’t know what we would have done without them. Thank you!”
We are so grateful that Lucas’s family have continued to stay in touch with Lucy AAC and support u. We are especially grateful to Jenny, Joan (Lucas’s grandmother) and Kat (Jenny’s friend) who did a skydive for Lucy AAC and raised over £6,000 for our charity.
Latest news & events
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Over the next few weeks and months, you will see our charity’s brand evolve from ‘Lucy Air Ambulance for Children’ to ‘Lia’s Wings’. We are going into the next chapter of our charity’s evolution with a new identity and expanded purpose. … Read More
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Over the next few weeks and months, you will see Lucy Air Ambulance for Children’s brand change to celebrate an incredibly special little girl, Emilia Schoennagel, whom the world sadly lost unexpectedly in September 2022. … Read More
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‘Take the leap for Lucy! Join us on Tue 18th July at Hinton-in-the-Hedges Airfield in Northamptonshire and experience the thrill of jumping 10,000ft at 120mph by taking part in a tandem skydive for Lucy AAC. … Read More
