In Memory of Michael Bradshaw

On 22nd October 2017 my life changed forever. I was celebrating my son Finley's 1st birthday with my family when my dad was involved in a head on car crash on his way home. My dad didn't stand a chance. The other driver was under the influence of drugs, driving over the speed limit and in a car that shouldn't have been on the road. Luckily the police and emergency services were on the scene within minutes and my dad received as much help as they could give; but he urgently needed specialist medical care from the nearest Trauma Centre and that's where the Air Ambulance came in. He was airlifted to the Northern General Hospital where he was put into an induced coma to give him the best chance of survival. Unfortunately, my dad did not make it and he died in Intensive Care 3 days later. He never regained consciousness but thankfully we were there by his bedside when he died. Without the help of all the emergency services and especially the Air Ambulance for getting my dad to hospital as quickly as possible, my dad may not have lived as long as he did and we could have missed our chance to say goodbye. For that I am eternally grateful. What I now know is that the Air Ambulance is a charity that receives no Government funding. They rely solely on donations to keep the helicopter in the sky helping people day after day and ultimately saving lives.... sadly not in my dad's case but I know there are thousands of people out there who owe their lives to the work that the Air Ambulance does.

I've thought many times over the last 12 months that I want to do something positive on the day it will be 1 year since the car crash; and that's how my idea to have my hair shaved off came about. I didn't want the day to go by full of sorrow and mourning and feeling helpless like it did on that horrendous day. I want to do 'my bit' and give something back. Most of all I want to make my dad proud.

So, on Sunday 21st October 2018 I am having my hair shaved off and I am asking my friends and family to donate money to the Air Ambulance in support of this.

I never dreamed that I would ever do anything like this, nor did I ever think my wonderful dad would be taken from us in such a shocking and cruel way. That's why you never know when you may need the Air Ambulance......... thank you for reading and please donate as much as you can.

Zoe xx