Lucy Air Ambulance for Children is a national charity that flies children up to the age of 16 years between hospitals across the UK. They do this for a variety of
reasons including:

– to receive specialist care
– to be taken closer to home, including for end of life care
– for diagnostic tests
– for specialist surgery, including organ transplants

It is the only charity in the UK that can transfer children long distances because they use aeroplanes. In April, the charity posted on their website: ‘We are being asked to fly more children than ever before. After a period of 4 extraordinary busy months, we are still experiencing a huge increase in the demand for our service. In April 2019 alone we have been asked to help as many children as we did during the first 7 months of last year. This increase in demand is difficult for the Charity to sustain and we are at risk of having to say no to the next family who needs us.’

Here’s the story of one baby they have helped:

Lori and Ian were visiting family in Surrey for one night when Lori went into premature labour. Otis was born at 25 weeks, weighing just 695g (less than a bag of sugar) and was immediately placed in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, needing help with breathing and feeding, and constant monitoring. He faced a long battle and at least 4 months in hospital – 200 miles from home. Ian and Lori spent their days in the hospital before Ian had to return home to Stockport, where he had just started a new job. Lori was desperate to return home with Otis but Otis’s fragile state meant he was unable to travel the 200ml journey
by road ambulance. LUCY Air Ambulance were approached and were able to transfer Otis to a hospital 5 mls from his home. 

 ‘We are very grateful to the team at Lucy Air Ambulance for Children and we will always be thankful for the huge part they have played in Otis’ incredible journey. Without Lucy AAC our family would have been separated for a much longer period of time. Otis, Ian and I have had a really difficult and uncertain battle and it was important that we were together to get through it, but to also share and celebrate the first weeks of our baby’s life. Otis is going from strength to strength – he truly is a miracle and already anexperienced flyer before his due date.’ (Otis’s mum, Lori)

This is just one story – visit the website www.lucyaac.org.uk – to read more.

One flight costs around £7,500 - the joy and relief it brings to the families concerned is priceless.

“Lucy AAC brought our boy safely home to us so we could be together as a family and they also freed up space at Plymouth Hospital so another seriously ill baby could be helped. After Alexander’s transfer, I learnt that Lucy AAC are the only air ambulance in the country that can help
very premature babies because they have developed a bespoke incubator that can be flown. ”

“Due to Henry’s rare respiratory condition the only way for him to travel between hospitals was by aeroplane”

"Without Lucy Air Ambulance for Children there would be no one to fly these children to where they so desperately need to be.”

‘We are the grandparents of baby S.  Please accept our
sincere thanks and gratitude to all involved at Lucy Air Ambulance for the wonderful service you have provided.  At such a stressful and worrying time you have eased the burden enormously.  Heartfelt thanks.’

‘Words cannot describe how grateful we are for the amazing people who helped make it possible for us to bring our baby boy back home to Leeds. Thank you so much!’

‘We had never heard of this incredible charity and couldn’t believe the lengths they went to, to care for us and our baby. This is an amazing charity doing important work and we will be forever grateful to Lucy Air Ambulance for bringing our baby boy safely back home.’