Not all air ambulances are helicopters
Lucy Air Ambulance for Children is the only charity in the UK that flies children to hospital by aeroplane. This National Air Ambulance Week we are highlighting the need for our unique service that provides life-changing outcomes for children and their families across the UK. Join us in celebrating between Monday 5th – Sunday 11th September 2022 by helping us raise awareness of our charity’s service.
Why aeroplanes are needed to transfer children
Lucy Air Ambulance for Children (Lucy AAC) is a national charity that ensures these babies and critically ill children can access specialist treatment and care, wherever they are in the UK. Often the only way these children can access this care is to travel between hospitals by aeroplane and we are the only air ambulance charity in the UK that provides this unique service.
We use aeroplanes to transfer children so that we can take on a wider variety of long-distance transfers but there are lots of other benefits to aeroplanes that ensure we can cater for children with a range of complex health needs.
Our aeroplanes provided an infection-free environment for Jaydi-Rose to travel in after she had received a life-saving bone marrow transplant.
Our pressurised cabins can support children with breathing difficulties, we can fly at sea level to ensure less pressure on a child’s brain, our aircraft can provide an infection-free environment for children post-surgery and there is always space for parents to accompany their child which we know is so important during such a difficult time for families.
Aeroplanes are very reliable irrespective of weather conditions – this ensured we could fly Fraser home with no disruption after he was let down by four helicopter transfer cancellations.
Aeroplanes are also less subject to noise and vibration and therefore over longer distances are often a safer and more comfortable environment for children, especially premature babies. We are the only UK charity who has our own intensive care flight-ready incubator which enables babies to be moved long distances to neonatal intensive care units – no other charity offers this service.
Lucy AAC flew Molly back to the UK to receive neonatal care closer to home after she was born 16 weeks early whilst her family were on holiday in Cyprus.
Saving lives
We are proud that our air transfers provide life-changing outcomes for the children we fly, including: children being discharged from long hospital stays, overcoming diseases like cancer, and receiving a diagnosis which finally enables families to gain new support from other organisations that are disease/disability specific.
Olivia-Grace was diagnosed with leukaemia at 4 months old. To stabilise her condition, Lucy AAC flew her to Great Ormond Street Hospital to receive a specialist treatment, and then to the Great North Children’s Hospital so that she could receive a bone marrow transplant and chemotherapy to ensure the cancer was eradicated.
Our service can be mobilised within 24 hours for urgent transfers – these transfers are usually children needing to be flown for a transplants. We are proud to have supported numerous children by flying them to a specialist hospital so that they can receive a life-changing or life-saving transplant. Children like Reign…
At 10 months old, Reign was diagnosed with a life-threatening condition and urgently needed a bone marrow transplant to save his life. Within 24 hours, Lucy AAC flew Reign to the Great North Children’s Hospital to receive a bone marrow transplant that saved his life.
Support Lucy Air Ambulance for Children this National Air Ambulance Week
We are a small charity that is trying to help as many families as possible but due to current funding we are only able to fly 2 out of every 4 children that need our service. Please join us during National Air Ambulance Week as we celebrate the unique benefits of our service and life-changing outcomes it provides. Here are some of the ways to can support us during this special week:
1. Follow Lucy AAC on social media
Help spread vital awareness about our Charity during National Air Ambulance Week by liking and sharing our posts on social media.
2. Share your story
If you have used our service then please share your experiences and raise awareness of the need for our service. If you are sharing your experiences with your friends, family and followers on social media, please don’t forget to tag us!
3. Attend one of our events
Lambeth Palace Garden Open Day – We have been given the keys to Lambeth Palace! Join us on Friday 2nd September when we will be hosting a fun day for the whole family to enjoy within the beautiful historic grounds of Lambeth Palace, which are rarely open to the public. Open from 12-3pm we will offer food and refreshments along with lots of fun activities. Get your tickets here: www.eventbrite.co.uk
Charity Family Fun Day – We are hosting a Charity Family Fun Day at West Park Leeds Rugby Club in Leeds on Saturday 10th September. We have so many exciting activities planned and entry is just £1pp (suggested donation). We hope to see you there! Find our more here: www.lucyaac.org.uk/familyfundayleeds
4. Fundraise for our unique service
Whether you take on a running challenge, hold a bake sale or see how long you can keep a balloon in the air, you will be raising funds to fly seriously ill children and babies to hospital. We love to hear all the creative ways our supporters are fundraising, so please let us know if you are taking on a challenge for Lucy AAC by emailing info@lucyaac.org.uk.
5. Donate towards a child’s air transfer
We are currently only able to fly 2 out of every 4 children who need our service. Your support can ensure we reach every child that needs us. Donate here: www.lucyaac.org.uk/donate
Thank you!
Growing awareness of our service is really important to us – the more people that know about our service, the more children we can fly. We really appreciate any support you can give us during National Air Ambulance Week. Whether you are sharing our posts on social media, attending one of our events, or simply chatting to a friend about us over a coffee, we really appreciate all your support.
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
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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
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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
