“Even when it seemed impossible, they were the only charity to support us.”
- rebeccawilson945
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
What began as a happy family holiday has turned into every parent’s worst nightmare.
Eight-year-old Lucy, from Birmingham, travelled to Poland with her family for what was meant to be a relaxing break, visiting her grandparents. After everyone caught a sickness bug, her parents thought little of it when Lucy began feeling unwell, but her condition rapidly deteriorated.
Lucy’s dad, Michael, reflects:
“On Monday morning, before the flight, she was up and about. She grabbed her suitcase; she was excited to go. You just don't expect to go to a foreign country just to visit family and then, all of a sudden, an extreme case of sepsis.”
She was rushed to hospital, where she received blood transfusions, platelets, and treatment for sepsis. Tests revealed alarming results: a high white blood cell count, a low red blood cell count, and unexplained bruising and spots. Doctors feared she might have leukaemia, but needed to carry out biopsies to confirm.
Because Lucy was so weak, doctors were hesitant to put her under anaesthetic. They advised that she should return to the UK for further testing and treatment, surrounded by her family and supported by NHS specialists.
At this point, Lucy was critically ill, scared, and far from home, unable to walk and undergoing intense treatment in a foreign hospital. Her family were desperate to bring their little girl home so she could receive the expert care she needed and so they could be together during this frightening time.
Although Lucy’s mum had wisely brought her EHIC (European Health Insurance Card), which covered emergency treatment in Poland, it did not cover the cost of medical repatriation. The family now faced the daunting task of funding a specialist air ambulance transfer to the UK.
Because of her fragile condition, Lucy could not travel on a normal flight. She needed to be flown home on a fully equipped air ambulance, accompanied by a specialist medical team.
When Lia’s Wings received the urgent call from Lucy’s family, we immediately stepped in to arrange her transfer. Within hours, our medical team were on their way to Poland to bring her safely home. Lia’s Wings knew that there was a narrow window of opportunity to transfer Lucy back to the UK. Her condition was such that further diagnostic tests needed to be conducted as soon as possible, with the view to then starting treatment straight away. If Lia’s Wings didn’t work to move Lucy immediately, then this initial window for transfer would be missed, and Lucy would then have to remain in Poland for a prolonged period of time.
“Lucy was brought back on Monday via Lia’s Wings, they were amazing and are our saviours… Even when it seemed impossible, they were the only charity to support us. Thank you, Lia's Wings.” – Gemma, Lucy’s auntie.
“The truth is, you don't know you need the charity until you need the charity. We didn't even know it existed. The charity's helped out, and they've done so much, and I can't thank them enough.”- Michael, Lucy’s dad
We flew Lucy to Birmingham Children’s Hospital, her local specialist centre, where she was admitted to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit. Two biopsies have now been completed, and soon, Lucy will start on her long-term treatment plan. Lucy is now much more comfortable and recovering from the secondary infections she developed while abroad.
Thanks to your support, Lucy is now safe, surrounded by her family, and receiving specialist NHS care.
Time was of the essence with this transfer; flying Lucy back to the UK has changed the course of her care, ensuring she will not spend Christmas unwell and isolated overseas.
Over the coming weeks, as Lucy and her family face her illness together, we will keep everyone updated on how she is doing with regular updates.
If you would like to support the costs of our air ambulance transfer home, please visit her fundraising page.
