A former patient of two local, lifesaving organisations is undertaking an extreme fundraising challenge for the second time in a bid to raise more vital funds.

In 2018, Natalie Queiroz teamed up with Midlands Air Ambulance Charity and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity for the Saving Lives Challenge. She raised a total of £10,000 to support the two charities.

Natalie has a deeply personal connection to both charities, as in March 2016, whilst eight months pregnant, she was attacked in Sutton Coldfield and stabbed 24 times. The advanced clinical care that she received thanks to Midlands Air Ambulance Charitys aircrew and the trauma team at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham saved her and her unborn daughters lives.

Four years on and Natalie is now taking on her second challenge in aid of the two charities. On Friday 24th July 2020, Natalie, along with fianc Simon Lyttle, will be walking from Midlands Air Ambulance Charitys RAF Cosford airbase to the scene of her attack in Sutton Coldfield and then on to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. The 37-mile route will replicate the journey that the Midlands Air Ambulance RAF Cosford aircraft made on the day of Natalies incident.

Natalie said: Neither I nor my daughter would be alive today if it were not for the incredible work of Midlands Air Ambulance Charity and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. Taking on the Saving Lives Challenge in 2018 was amazing and it was fantastic to be able to collaborate with these two lifesaving institutions and raise vital funds to support them and their work.

This year I want to raise more money for both of these incredible charities and Id love if people virtually joined me on the challenge by taking on a walk on the same day.

Emma Gray, fundraising and marketing director for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, says: Undertaking this kind of challenge, especially during the current climate, is commendable. We are very thankful for people like Natalie, who have gone through great adversity, but still go above and beyond to help us raise the funds the charity needs to continue saving lives.

We often find that when our service touches peoples lives, they understand the importance of the critical pre-hospital care that our clinical teams provide on scene, and the rapid transit via our helicopter which has saved thousands of lives over the last 29 years.

Cathryn Worth, fundraising manager at University Hospitals Birmingham Charity, said: Natalies incredible efforts through the Saving Lives Challenge helped us to make a huge difference to our critically ill and injured patients at QEHB. It is wonderful that she is taking on this challenge, and we are proud to have her support.

Natalie has witnessed first-hand the incredible work of the Critical Care Department at QEHB, and her support will enable us to continue to support their lifesaving work.

Find out more about Midlands Air Ambulance Charity by visiting the website at: midlandsairambulance.com and follow the organisation on social media.

To find out more about the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity, visit: www.hospitalcharity.org