Clinicians were unable to pass a feeding tube down Ellie’s throat, revealing that she had Oesophageal Atresia with Trachea-Oesophageal Fistula (TOFOA)*, a condition in which the oesophagus and stomach are not connected.

“I’d never heard of it before,” says Bethany. “It’s a rare condition that isn’t caused by anything in particular, but it meant Ellie couldn’t swallow or eat.”

While Ellie was taken to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Bethany underwent surgery herself due to complications during childbirth. It was then that clinicians delivered the difficult news that Ellie needed emergency surgery to survive. The nearest hospital capable of performing the procedure on such a premature baby with availability was Evelina London Children’s Hospital, so the only option was to transport Ellie to London as quickly as possible.

That’s when the Children’s Air Ambulance made a crucial difference with its bespoke incubator system, specially designed for premature babies.

The helicopter, which was based in Oxford, flew to Bristol to pick up a specialist retrieval team from the South West Neonatal Advice and Retrieval Service (SoNAR). This team works closely with NICUs across the South West to ensure that infants requiring specialist care can be safely and quickly transferred to the appropriate hospital.

After making Ellie comfortable in the bespoke incubator onboard the AgustaWestland 169 helicopter, the team completed the 114-mile journey to London in just 42 minutes—a trip that would have taken over two and a half hours by road, not accounting for London traffic. Ellie was then rushed to Evelina London for the urgent surgery she needed.

“Giving birth just before 9 am and being told that your newborn daughter needs to be flown for emergency surgery by 3pm is terrifying,” recalls Bethany.

Since Bethany was recovering from surgery, she couldn’t join Ellie on the helicopter, but her partner Chris took a train to London as quickly as he could to be by his daughter’s side.

“The pilots, the TCAA crew, and the SoNAR team were amazing,” says Bethany. “Even though I couldn’t be with Ellie, they took our numbers and kept us updated throughout the flight, which reassured us so much. Knowing she had landed safely in London gave us peace of mind during such a worrying time.”

Ellie’s surgery lasted four hours, during which surgeons disconnected her stomach from her airway and connected it to the tube leading from her throat.

After being discharged from hospital, Bethany made her way to Evelina London, arriving the following evening to see Ellie after surgery. Ellie was entwined in tubes and wires, recovering from the invasive procedure.

Ellie’s recovery was steady, and after three weeks in London, she was able to feed normally. On 20 October, the Children’s Air Ambulance once again took flight, transferring Ellie closer to home at Royal United Hospitals Bath.

By this time, Bethany had recovered enough from her surgery to accompany Ellie on the flight back, which she describes as a relief.

“Once again, the pilots, crew, and the SoNAR team were fantastic. They were kind, reassuring, and explained everything. I felt calm because Ellie had already been through the worst, and we were on our way home,” says Bethany.

After another week in hospital, Ellie was finally discharged to go home with her parents.

“We were so overjoyed to finally take Ellie home,” says Bethany. “She’s had her throat stretched a few times due to scar tissue causing narrowing, and she’ll face some future challenges, but overall, she’s doing really well.”

“She’s the happiest little girl, she’s just perfect,” adds Bethany.

Bethany and her family had never heard of the Children’s Air Ambulance before this experience, but they are now lifelong supporters of the charity, which transforms paediatric and neonatal care by rapidly transferring critically ill babies and children like Ellie.

“At first, I thought they meant the local emergency air ambulance,” admits Bethany. “But after the flight, when we talked to the TCAA team and read through the information pack they gave us, we learned more about their work.”

“Once we got home, we discovered that TCAA is a charity and doesn’t receive any government funding. It’s amazing to think they rely entirely on donations. We’ve signed up to give regularly and do everything we can to promote the charity.”

“TCAA is truly a lifesaver. The work they do is incredible—it relieves so much stress in the most difficult situations. There is no greater cause than a charity that helps children and their families in their darkest times—just like ours,” Bethany concludes.

_{*Oesophageal atresia (OA) is a rare condition where a short section at the top of the oesophagus (gullet or foodpipe) has not formed properly so is not connected to the stomach. This means food cannot pass from the throat to the stomach. Tracheo-oesophageal fistula (TOF) is another rare condition, which tends to occur alongside oesophageal atresia. This is where part of the oesophagus is joined to the trachea (windpipe).}