Kirkcaldy > Leeds
260 miles
‘What Lucy Air Ambulance for Children did for us was so fundamental to our health and happiness as a family; they stepped in when we were at a low ebb and really, really needed support.’
Written by Alex, Fraser’s mum
Having Fraser on holiday was one of the most traumatic experiences of our lives. He was born 6 weeks early in our holiday cottage, with only my husband Tony and I there to see him safely into the world. Following the arrival of the ambulance he was rushed to the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, where he received amazing neonatal care. As a result he made brilliant progress, but our family needed to make the journey home to Yorkshire to continue his treatment. The team in Scotland made contact with our local hospital to set up a transfer by helicopter. Unfortunately, due to a mixture of sickness, mechanical failure and weather conditions, the transfer was booked and then cancelled 4 times. During this time my husband and firstborn (19 months) had had to make the journey home by car as we had no accommodation in Scotland after the second cancellation. I stayed with Fraser in a side room in the neonatal unit.
It’s hard to describe the effect of the cancelled transfers on our little family of four. I had never spent a night away from my eldest and I missed him and my husband terribly – I was used to coming home from the hospital in the evening to their love and support. I could feel my mental health starting to suffer; I was getting more and more panicked that nobody would come to help us, which brought back the trauma of the birth itself, something we were still trying to process. In addition, Fraser’s treatment was somewhat on hold pending his relocation and his progress was starting to stall, which was really difficult to see. In this context, when I got the call to say that Lucy Air Ambulance for Children had stepped in to transfer Fraser and me, I was completely overwhelmed with relief and gratitude that somebody, somewhere would do that for me and my boys. All the stress and pressure of the situation was lifted from my shoulders and Tony and I could focus on putting our family back together again.
The transfer itself was seamless – Fraser travelled in his own little pod (complete with ear defenders!) and we even managed to secure a police escort through Edinburgh airport! The plane was so comfortable and quick, meaning Fraser was completely content the whole way and needed minimal medical support. Following the transfer he spent a few days in the special care unit in our local hospital before being discharged home. It’s absolutely wonderful to have him back and we’re thriving as a family of four.
I can’t ever thank Lucy Air Ambulance enough for supporting us both before and after the transfer. What they did for us was so fundamental to our health and happiness as a family; they stepped in when we were at a low ebb and really, really needed support. They’re part of our story now, and I know that when Fraser learns to walk and talk, starts school, and navigates all the other big moments in life, I will always think of their contribution
Latest News
Our time for growth
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
Lia’s Legacy
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
Lucy AAC Summer Skydive
‘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
At Home Winter Wonderwheels 2023
Grab your mask, cape & winter warmers, Superheroes – we’re racing Pole to Pole! For this virtual Winter Explorer mission, you’ll be remotely uniting with your SUPER TEAM to race 25,123km from north to south, taking in some super snowy destinations along the way! … Read More
At Home Superheroes 2023
Get ready for an epic, virtual round-the-world race! You can join the fun wherever & however you wish & have a whole month in which to complete your super goal. Best of all, you’ll be remotely combining your powers with hundreds of fellow Superheroes & Sidekicks, from far & wide, all pulling together for this super-flexible mission! So sign up now, your SUPER TEAM needs you! … Read More
Superhero Tri 2023
Superhero Tri is a super fun sporting mission for people with disability – aka Superheroes. These superheroes call the shots – there are no cut-off times and all kinds of ‘gadgets and gismos’ are welcome on the course, from floats and boats to powerchairs, adaptive bikes, trikes and more. … Read More
