North West Air Ambulance charity launches fresh campaign to extend its life-saving service

The NWAA was called out to 99 missions in Greater Manchester last month – and a total of 1,132 across the nation in the last 12 months.

A fund-raiser has been launched to ensure that the charity can continue its care over the next 12 months and in the years to come.

Leading the appeal to raise the £12m a year it costs to run is Dr Ed, the doctor who saved young Henry’s life at the roadside after the toddler fell into the path of an oncoming car.

Henry, who was almost two at the time of the accident, had suffered multiple facial and skull fractures when the car ran over his head and blood began to block his airways. When the helicopter crew arrived he was found unresponsive.

Dr Ed said: “Every second counts in cases like this and, without our rapid response, Henry might not have pulled through.”

At the roadside, Dr Ed performed several emergency interventions, including a blood transfusion, an emergency anaesthetic and chest surgery so that Henry was stable enough to be transferred to hospital.

Henry’s dad Rob said: “The air ambulance crew saved our little boy’s life. We will be eternally grateful for their service, skills and expertise in being able to act so quickly.”

Last year saw the NWAA called out a total of 2,834 times, including 775 road traffic collisions where the service brought the hospital to the patient.

Dr Ed said: “Without the North West Air Ambulance Charity, and its kind supporters Henry would possibly have died and his family torn apart.

“As costs continue to rise, it’s imperative that we raise the £12m we need each year to provide the state-of-the-art service we pride ourselves on.

“We get no government funding, and we’re not part of the NHS, so we are turning to the general public who we serve and who value what we do.”

To help save even more lives, crew cover has been increased to 12 hours a day and within the next year, its night car service will operate seven days a week.

A lifesaving example of how generous donations could be spent is £6 pays for a bougie – a device that guides a breathing tube into a patient’s airway – which initially helped save Henry’s life.

To make a donation visit: nwairambulance.org.uk