East Anglian Air Ambulance marks 25 years of life-saving care

East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) is celebrating 25 years since it was founded in 2000, a milestone that reflects more than 27,000 patients treated across the region thanks entirely to public support.

The charity, which operates from bases in Norwich and Cambridge, provides advanced critical care by air and road 24/7. On average, crews respond to six patients a day experiencing life-threatening emergencies such as cardiac arrests, serious collisions and acute medical incidents.

EAAA began with weekly flights in early 2001, following registration with the Charity Commission in September 2000. Since then, its clinicians and pilots have become a critical part of the emergency response system across East Anglia.

Among those helped is Pepe Casanova, who was just five months old when he suddenly became gravely unwell at home in Norfolk in 2014. His mother Ana recalled how the situation escalated after calling 999:

“I looked down at Pepe; he was a funny colour, and his eyes weren’t focusing. We called 999 and we were asked to count Pepe’s breaths, which were very fast. Then everything happened very quickly.”

EAAA’s crew identified that Pepe had undiagnosed Type One Diabetes and had slipped into a diabetic coma. Using a driver needle into his shinbone, they were able to deliver fluids directly into his bone marrow, stabilising him before transfer to hospital. Pepe went on to make a full recovery.

Ana said, “Thanks in part to the help of EAAA, he recovered and is alive, well and is an amazing child; he is loving, empathetic and I am so proud of him.”

Chief Executive, Matthew Jones said stories like Pepe’s underline the difference public support makes:

“Behind every statistic is a real person, a real family – a life changed, or a life saved because of the kindness of others. Ana and Pepe’s story is just one of thousands that reflect the extraordinary impact our crews have made over the past 25 years.”

He added: “Our 25-year milestone is a moment to pause, reflect and give heartfelt thanks to the remarkable people who make our 24/7 life-saving work possible. Your continued support will help us reach even more people in the years to come.”

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