Dublin > Liverpool
170 miles
Lucy AAC flew twins, Eli and Aoife, over 170 miles from Coombe Hospital in Dublin to Liverpool Women’s Hospital to receive neonatal care closer to home. After Eli and Aoife’s Lucy AAC transfer, their mum Amy wrote about their experiences. Please read their story below:
“We cannot thank Lucy Air Ambulance for Children for the help, care and support they gave our family when transferring our premature twins from the Coombes Women’s and Infants Hospital in Dublin to Liverpool Women’s Hospital.
Our story started seven weeks before when we were visiting my partner’s family in his hometown of Belleek in the North West of Ireland. I was 26 weeks pregnant expecting twins and so far had been having a healthy and happy pregnancy. The day after we arrived my waters broke unexpectedly and we immediately went to the nearest hospital. I was transferred across the border to Dublin which was the nearest hospital with two neonatal beds available.
Four weeks after being admitted into hospital I went into labour and the twins, Eli and Aoife, were delivered via an emergency caesarean. They were immediately taken to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit as they needed ventilation to help with their breathing and were in incubators for nearly three weeks.
“On the day of the transfer I was really nervous. Not only was I leaving Dublin, where I had been for the last seven weeks and couldn’t fault the care of the staff, but I was also leaving Eli and Aoife for their first flight. I was filled with anxiety waiting for the team to arrive at the hospital to collect Eli and Aoife but when I met the Lucy AAC Flight Team I instantly felt at ease. Seeing the team’s friendly and professional manner as they got the twins ready for their flight reassured me that everything would be okay. Due to the need for extra nurses on board, I wasn’t able to travel on the plane with the babies but from conversations with Lucy AAC, I knew exactly when the flights were scheduled to leave Dublin and arrive in Liverpool. Emotions were high when I said goodbye to them but I was assured by Lucy AAC that they would be in touch every step of the way. They also kept Paul informed as he awaited the Eli and Aoife’s arrival at the Liverpool Women’s Hospital.
“As I was waiting to board my flight a text came through from Lucy AAC to say they would be taking off in the next five minutes. As I was boarding the stairs of my aircraft I saw their plane take to the skies (a moment I’ll never forget).
Paul was at the doors of the road ambulance when the twins arrived at the new hospital and I arrived just 10 minutes after them. After settling them in, the Lucy AAC Flight Team presented Paul and I with a special present for each twin to remember their journey, their own Lucy Bear and teddy passports! I will always remember the emotions I felt when I said goodbye to the Lucy Air Ambulance for Children (Lucy AAC) team. After seven weeks of hospital care, hundreds of miles from home, Eli and Aoife were finally home and we were reunited as a family.
They were finally able to meet their big brother and we were reunited together again as a family. We will always be eternally grateful for what Lucy AAC did for our family.
“From my first phone call with Lucy AAC, to the twins flight and finally saying goodbye to the Lucy AAC flight team, our twins’ welfare and care needs were treated as a priority. I felt that because of Lucy AAC’s professionalism I had a huge sense of trust in them and they provided a friendly personal touch throughout our journey. Thank you Lucy AAC for letting me be a mum again to all my children and bringing my family back together again. Air ambulances are something that we tend to not think about until we need one ourselves. It has definitely highlighted to me the great work this charity does in helping families in a time of need.”
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