This month, East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) marks a quarter of a century since it was founded in 2000. In that time the charity, which provides advanced critical care 24/7 by air and road to the most seriously ill and injured people in the region, has treated more than 27,000 people – something that has only been possible thanks to public donations and support.
EAAA was officially registered with the Charity Commission on 6 September 2000, with the first flights taking place one day a week in early 2001.Crews from EAAA’s bases in Norwich and Cambridge now treat, on average, six people experiencing critical care emergencies, including cardiac arrests, road traffic collisions and medical emergencies, in our region every day.
In 2014, when Pepe Casanova was just five months old, he became lethargic and started vomiting. Mum, Ana, consulted an out-of-hours doctor but, a couple of days later Pepe deteriorated rapidly overnight.
“I looked down at Pepe; he was a funny colour, and his eyes weren’t focusing. We called 999 and we were asked to count Pepe’s breaths, which were very fast. Then everything happened very quickly,” Ana explains.
A first responder, two ambulances and East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) were sent to the family’s home near Wymondham in Norfolk. When Ana heard the helicopter coming into land, she realised the seriousness of the situation.
“The critical care crew from East Anglian Air Ambulance took charge. One of the tests they carried out was on Pepe’s blood. I saw the clinicians look at each other; it felt significant,” Ana says.
Pepe had undiagnosed Type One Diabetes and had slipped into a diabetic coma. It was a race against time. The EAAA crew used a driver to insert a needle into Pepe’s shinbone. This would deliver fluids directly into Pepe’s bone marrow that would stabilise his condition before transferring him by land ambulance to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.
Ana continues, “This was just the beginning of our journey as it was a long road to recovery. We didn’t know at this point whether Pepe would be brain damaged or have suffered organ failure. Thanks in part to the help of EAAA, he recovered and is alive, well and is an amazing child; he is loving, empathetic and I am so proud of him. His greatest achievement is how well he deals with his diabetes every day.”
EAAA is a charity that receives no regular government funding, relying almost entirely on public support.
Matthew Jones, CEO of East Anglian Air Ambulance, says, “Behind every statistic is a real person, a real family – a life changed, or a life saved because of the kindness of others. Ana and Pepe’s story is just one of thousands that reflect the extraordinary impact our crews have made over the past 25 years. Every day, we see how generous donations translate into urgent care for people in our communities who are facing trauma or medical emergencies. Because of that selfless support, patients like Pepe receive the right help at the right time, giving them the best possible chance of survival and recovery.”
Matthew adds, “Our 25-year milestone is a moment to pause, reflect and give heartfelt thanks to the remarkable people who make our 24/7 life-saving work, by air and road, possible. Your continued support will help us reach even more people in the years to come.”
The need for EAAA’s life-saving care hasn’t stopped. To donate visit: 25 years of EAAA – East Anglian Air Ambulance
Images in this article are published courtesy of EAAA
