Antalya, Turkey > Norwich, England
2,400 miles
Expecting Norwich parents, Emma and Daniel, were on holiday in Turkey with their two daughters when their youngest child, Jack, was born 15 weeks early.
Jack was very fragile at birth. He weighed 2.2lbs, was intubated to help him breathe and had to have his heart restarted. Jack was immediately transferred to a hospital where he could receive neonatal intensive care. Emma also needed to be treated after haemorrhaging during Jack’s birth.
Jack faced at least a four month stay in hospital and his family were being charged the cost of €1,000 per day for Jack’s neonatal care. On top of this, the family had no idea how they were going to get their little boy home so the long hospital stay seemed inevitable.
Rushing to support them, Daniel’s mum set up a Go Fund Me page to help the couple raise money for the mounting fees they faced. Generously, Emma’s manager, Kevin – who owns 10 McDonald’s restaurants around Norwich, offered to fund Jack’s care whilst he was stranded in Turkey and was actively trying to arrange an air transfer home for Jack. Emma says:
“We’re so pleased Jack is getting stronger and we just hope we can all be together at home in the UK as soon as possible. This is an ongoing nightmare but we’re so grateful for all the support that has been shown to us so far…the support of our family as well as my boss, Kevin Foley, has been such a huge help. Danny and I cried when Kevin offered to help us straightaway. It’s been a massive relief and has taken some of the pressure off us.”
The family contacted their local media, ITV News East Anglia, about their situation and it soon caught national attention. Donations came streaming into the couple’s Go Fund Me page and raised in excess of £30,000 in support of Jack.
With this funding, Emma and Daniel started to arrange Jack’s air transfer home with Capital Air Ambulance. Capital included national charity, Lucy Air Ambulance for Children, in their discussions with Jack’s family as they knew that Lucy AAC would be able to provide support to the family – both practical and emotional. The charity were also currently helping another family in a similar situation whose baby, Molly, was born prematurely whilst they were on holiday in Cyprus. Lucy AAC offered Jack’s family financial assistance as well as practical guidance and medical support for Jack’s air ambulance transfer home. Lucy AAC CEO, Charlotte Young, says:
“As a small national charity that is only permitted to operate in the UK, we are doing all we can to help Jack’s family. we are supporting the family with the organisation of Jack’s air ambulance transfer back from Turkey to a hospital closer to home, where they can receive continuity of care from the NHS.”
On Saturday 30th July, the Lucy AAC Flight Team collected Jack and Emma from the hospital in Turkey and placed Jack into a flight-ready incubator where he stayed throughout the transfer. The specialist incubator acts like a mobile neonatal intensive care unit, giving Jack the acute care he needs whilst he travelled the long distance home. Lucy AAC is the only charity in the UK that has a specialist piece of equipment like this.
The transfer went flawlessly, and Jack and Emma touched down later that day at Norwich Airport where Daniel met them on the tarmac. He had travelled home earlier that day on an economy flight so that he could meet Emma and Jack as they landed.
After four long weeks stranded in Turkey, the family were finally home.
Jack is now receiving neonatal care at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn, the closest Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to the family’s home, where he has settled in well and is already seeing improvement in his wellbeing.
We would like to say a special thank you to everyone who donated to the family’s fundraising page, for your words of encouragement and the support you have given to Jack’s family – it has been such a comfort and lifeline to them during this difficult time.
Latest news & events
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
