Oxford > Cornwall
250 miles
Patricia and her partner Martin were in the middle of relocating when their daughter, Rosie, was born 12 weeks early. The couple, not expecting their little girl to arrive for another three months, was booked in to be born at the Royal Cornwall Hospital and Martin was already living in Cornwall with their two other children when Rosie made an appearance.
Being born so early, Rosie was being treated in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford and faced at least a four-month stay. With Martin juggling work whilst trying to maintain a normal family life for his older children in Cornwall, he was unable to be with Patricia in Oxford. Patricia had to deal with all the tough conversations about Rosie’s health alone with her family over 250 miles away. Patricia’s mental health really suffered because of this separation. It was essential that Rosie was flown to a hospital closer to home in Cornwall.
The local NHS transport team to Oxford, Southampton Oxford Neonatal Transfer service (SONeT), contacted Lucy Air Ambulance for Children (Lucy AAC) and told them about Rosie’s situation. They knew that Lucy AAC was the only charity in the UK that could fly Rosie the 250 mile distance home and reunite this family.
Unfortunately, just a few days before the air transfer was supposed to go ahead, Rosie became critically ill. Her air transfer with Lucy AAC was cancelled as she had contracted severe sepsis and her infection markers were at 300mg/l (a healthy babies infection markers would be under 5mg/l). Rosie’s condition deteriorated quickly and Patricia and Martin were told to say their goodbyes to Rosie. The family were absolutely devastated that it seemed like their daughter wouldn’t survive and, at only three weeks old, hadn’t even had the opportunity to meet many of their friends and family yet.
Since then, Rosie has been lovingly named ‘a fighter’. She used all her strength to pull through a situation where the odds were against her. Over a few weeks her condition stabilised and Lucy AAC was finally able to fly her to Cornwall, to be reunited with her family.
Lucy AAC flew Rosie in a flight-ready incubator that ensured she could safely travel the long distance. She was accompanied by Patricia, who recalls: “The first thing I noticed when we were beginning our decent into Newquay was the Eden Project and then the coast. It felt like they were all glistening at me, telling me everything was going to be okay.”.
When the road ambulance team collected Patricia, Rosie and the Lucy AAC Flight Team from the airport, Patricia remembers them saying in thick Cornish accents: “Welcome home. This is your new life”…and that is exactly what it was for Patricia and Rosie, the start of their next chapter.
Rosie is now continuing her neonatal care at the Royal Cornwall Hospital and it is looking like there are is no long-term damage from the Sepsis she contracted. Patricia is so grateful for the support that Lucy AAC gave her and her family during such a traumatic time. She says Lucy AAC gave her “the gift of hope” and now “a sense of normality”. Patricia says:
“I was apart from my other two kids a lot, so to be all under one roof is amazing! I can have breakfast, do bedtime and bath times with them and see Rosie in between – that means everything and has made me a lot less stressed not having to be away from them.”
This somewhat ‘normal’ routine is something Patricia longed for whilst sitting alone in a neonatal ward in Oxford. Thanks to Lucy AAC, Rosie’s family has been reunited, Rosie is receiving the best neonatal care, Patricia’s and Martin’s mental health has improved and the family is now counting down the days until Rosie is discharged from hospital and they can all be under one roof.
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
