Thanks to your support, we have now completed 12,000 missions by air.

The milestone mission took place on Thursday 20 July, when Dr Matt Kerton and Specialist Paramedic Julian Hannah were called to attend a patient who needed emergency critical care following a road traffic collision in Basingstoke.

The team provided treatment to the patient before transferring them to hospital in a road ambulance, to allow them to continue providing necessary treatment en route.

Since our first take off on 1 July 2007, we have now responded to more than 17,500 emergency missions across Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and surrounding areas by air and road. These included cardiac arrests, falls from height and assaults.

Advancements in our service means that today our doctors and paramedics can carry out procedures that are usually only found in a hospital setting, such as a thoracotomy – a surgical incision to the chest wall used to treat life-threatening conditions – or an amputation – all at the side of the road, in someone’s kitchen, a busy shopping centre or a rural area.

The impact you make

One of those 12,000 patients was Steph Blake, who was hit by a car as she was crossing the road near her home in Totton in 2018.

Steph, who was 20 at the time, had sustained a severe head injury and was critically ill. She urgently needed specialist critical care intervention. The team flew to Steph and were by her side within eight minutes of the first 999 call.

They put a cannula in Steph’s arm, gave her medicine to calm her down, sedated her and put her onto a ventilator, all before flying her to hospital for further treatment and surgery. Steph continues on her road to recovery and has become a part of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance volunteer family.

Steph meeting some of the crew who helped save her life

Steph said:

“I am still alive because of the remarkable team that flew to me. I couldn’t be more thankful to them for giving me a second chance at life. Their skills, strength and abilities still amaze me. I am so grateful and lucky to still be here today. Every time I see the helicopter fly overhead, tears build up in my eyes. I love volunteering for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance as this has given me an opportunity to thank the service for still being here today.”

Our CEO Richard Corbett said:

“To reach 12,000 flights is a remarkable achievement. But every single one of those calls for help is to a husband, wife, brother, sister, mother, father, friend, colleague. The truth is, nobody knows if or when they’re going to need an air ambulance. For many of those patients, it will be the worst day of their lives. But thanks to the extraordinary dedication and generosity of our supporters, we can try and make that day slightly better and give those patients the best possible chance of survival and recovery.”

Each call is only possible thanks to the generosity and dedication from the people in our communities. People like you. Donate today and help make our next mission possible.