Leicester NHS worker says life today could be very different if she hadn’t been flown to hospital by local air ambulance

Two years ago on 04 September, Leicester NHS worker Georgina Riggall was a patient airlifted by Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance after she was badly injured in a car accident.

Having spent all her career to date working in care and health, Georgina (26) appreciates how different her life could be had she not been flown to a specialist trauma hospital to get the treatment she needed as quickly as possible.

“I am very grateful to the local air ambulance for the speed they flew me to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham where I was treated by specialist surgeons. Things could have been very different if that didn’t happen,” she says.

Georgina was working as a carer, visiting clients in their homes in Northamptonshire when she was involved in a collision whilst driving.

“I don’t remember anything before waking up behind the wheel of the car. I got myself out and lay down on the grass verge. The land ambulance arrived and I was assessed by two paramedics but due to the seriousness of my injuries it was decided to fly me to hospital,” she says.

Georgina, who now works as a clinical co-ordinator at Leicester Royal Infirmary, sustained a perforated bowel, broken sternum and deep cut on her hip. She underwent an emergency operation to repair her bowel and was an in-patient at QMC for eight days.

It was several months before she could walk properly and return to work.

“I want to do something to help raise awareness of the lifesaving work of the local air ambulance which is why I am sharing my patient story. The charity receives no government funding and relies totally on public donations to remain operational so it is vital that people support it if they can,” says Georgina.

She is planning to become a volunteer at the charity when time allows and follows it on social media.

“I keep reading stories about how the local air ambulance has helped other people and sometimes I see it flying over. It always makes me think about what happened to me and how lucky I was that the helicopter came to my rescue and got me to hospital quickly. I will be forever grateful,” she says.

Missions like Georgina’s wouldn’t be possible without the generous donations of the public, your local air ambulance needs continued support as it launches its brand new lifesaving helicopters early next year! To support the lifesaving work they do, please click here