She just went to the shop to get strawberries…..the NW Air Ambulance took her to hospital instead…..

When we arrived at the scene, my daughter Hannah, 12 years old, was laid on the road in a pool of blood. We can only describe her as green in colour, she was telling my husband and I she loved us but was tired and needed to sleep.

Hannah and her stepsister Kate, aged 13, were going to the shop on their bikes to get some strawberries. Hannah fell off her bike puncturing her thigh which was pumping blood as Hannah describes ‘like a chocolate fountain’. Kate screamed until people from the local pub and garage came to help the girls. With quick thinking they made a tourniquet out of rope, placing it around her thigh whilst they waited for Paramedics.

The North West Air Ambulance were called who air lifted Hannah to Manchester Paediatric Hospital in just 9 minutes (usually a 45 minute journey). After 3hrs in surgery we discovered Hannah had punctured the main vein in her leg, the femoral vein. The hole was 7cm deep, 3cm wide. Hannah spent a week in hospital.

We know how lucky Hannah was that day. We know this story would be very different if it wasn’t for the people who helped Hannah, for the Paramedics, the Air Ambulance and the staff at Manchester Paediatrics Hospital.

We’re so proud of both Hannah and Kate for how they coped for those moments before they got help, and for how they coped afterwards. We will never be able to find the words to thank the people who helped Hannah and those who supported her in getting better.

The NW Air Ambulance receives no government or NHS funding and must raise £12million a year to remain operational. They fly 365 days a year with highly skilled Doctors & Paramedics on board to provide rapid treatment to patients. We want to say thank you for helping Hannah and to ensure their service is available for anyone who needs it in the future.

If you are able to, please support us by donating to the NW Air Ambulance, allowing them to bring the hospital to the patient. It’s a service I hope you never need. It’s a service we never thought we’d need……she just went to the shop to get strawberries.