Nicole Cooling
Nicole's Recra in partnership with Lucy Air Ambulance for Children
Fundraising for Lia's Wings
Story
Lucy Air Ambulance for Children (Lucy AAC) is the only charity in the UK that funds flights for children to hospital by aeroplane. They exist to ensure children are able to access essential medical care regardless of distance.
Their transfers ensure:
- Children can access life-saving specialist care and surgery, including organ transplants.
- Premature babies can be moved to receive neonatal care close to home.
- Children who are nearing end of life can be taken to a hospital/hospice closer to home.
- Families are reunited and parent’s mental health improves.
Each Lucy AAC flight costs on average £8,500. This includes:
- Medical staff - each flight is staffed with either a consultant neonatologist/paediatrician, a flight nurse and a paramedic. (£1,750)
- Aircraft costs including fuel, landing and handling fees and parking (£5,250)
- Road ambulances at both referring and receiving ends (£1,250)
The NHS has no funding for air transfers and relies on our small charity's support to provide these life-saving flights.
- We can cover the whole of the UK to transfer children over long-distances and across regions.
- Planes are less subject to noise and vibration than helicopters, so it is a safer environment for children, especially premature babies and those with respiratory conditions.
- Planes have enough space to ensure a parent is always able to travel with their child.
- We can fly in a wider range of weather conditions meaning that our flights are less likely to be postponed.
Due to current funding, we are only able to help 2 out of every 4 children that need our service.
Why not do all you can to help those children and their families!
