Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance, the life-saving UK charity, recently took off for mission number 12,000.

Doctors, paramedics, pilots and dispatchers from the charity responded to a patient who required emergency critical care following a road traffic collision in Basingstoke on Thursday 20 July. The team provided treatment to the patient before transferring them to hospital in a road ambulance, to allow them to continue providing necessary treatment en route.

Since its first take off on 1 July 2007, the charity, which operates an Airbus Helicopters H135, has responded to more than 17,500 emergency missions across Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and surrounding areas by air and road. These included cardiac arrests, falls from height and assaults.

Advancements in the service means that today the doctors and paramedics on board can carry out procedures that are usually only found in a hospital setting, such as a thoracotomy, a surgical incision to the chest wall used to treat life-threatening conditions, or an amputation, all at the side of the road, in someone's kitchen, a busy shopping centre or a rural area.

One of those 12,000 patients was Steph Blake, who was hit by a car as she was crossing the road near her home in Totton in 2018. Steph, who was 20 at the time, had sustained a severe head injury and was critically ill. She urgently needed specialist critical care intervention. The team flew to Steph and were by her side within eight minutes of the first 999 call.

They put a cannula in Steph's arm, gave her medicine to calm her down, sedated her and put her onto a ventilator, all before flying her to hospital for further treatment and surgery. Steph continues on her road to recovery and has started volunteering for the life-saving charity.

Steph says: “I am still alive because of the remarkable team that flew to me. I couldn't be more thankful to them for giving me a second chance at life. Their skills, strength and abilities still amaze me. I am so grateful and lucky to still be here today. Every time I see the helicopter fly overhead, tears build up in my eyes. I love volunteering for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance as this has given me an opportunity to thank the service for still being here today.”

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance CEO Richard Corbett adds: “To reach 12,000 flights is a remarkable achievement. But every single one of those calls for help is to a husband, wife, brother, sister, mother, father, friend, colleague. The truth is, nobody knows if or when they're going to need an air ambulance. For many of those patients, it will be the worst day of their lives. But thanks to the extraordinary dedication and generosity of our supporters, we can try and make that day slightly better and give those patients the best possible chance of survival and recovery.”