Kerry’s story

KSS is a charity which has always been close to mine and my family’s hearts, but I never dreamed that one day they would save my life.

My name is Kerry and late one evening last September, my life was saved by the expertise and skill of the KSS team after I was involved in a serious car accident.

I was in a taxi from Ebbsfleet Train Station, just a mile from my house — a journey that I’d made many times before — when a speeding car collided with us head on round a slight bend in the road. That is the last thing I remember before waking up in King’s College Hospital one week later. My memory from that night is very faint, I had no idea what had happened to me. In a way, I was lucky to have had my accident where I did, as KSS is one of the only air ambulance services in the country to fly 24/7 so they were able to get to me quickly. Due to the location of my incident, the team landed nearby and were transported to the scene by the police. I was told that when they arrived I was struggling to remain conscious, with a fast heart rate and low blood pressure. I had multiple injuries, including fractures to my femur and pelvis, which the KSS team administered an emergency anaesthesia for so they could splint my leg and pelvis to avoid further injury. I was given a blood transfusion at the scene, as the KSS team were concerned I might have been bleeding internally from the impact of the crash. It was decided I’d be taken to hospital by road with the team from KSS accompanying me so they could continue my blood transfusion.

The days from the first week that I was awake in hospital all blurred into one. I was unconscious for a week, and in hospital for a month, undergoing surgery to have a metal rod placed into my femur connected to my hip. When I was released from hospital, I still wasn’t able to go home as I was unable to manage stairs. Luckily, my brother lives in a bungalow so in mid-October I moved in with him to begin my recovery. Living with family gave me the confidence and encouragement I needed to try new things. Carrying tea in the wheelchair was interesting, but even more so when I upgraded to crutches! I was grateful to be able to live with my brother, but I missed living in my own home with my husband Keith. With the help of my occupational therapist, just before Christmas I was mobile enough to be able to return to my house. Christmas 2020 looked a little different for everyone last year because of the Coronavirus pandemic, but I was just so thankful to be back in my own home. Looking ahead to this Christmas, my recovery is still ongoing, but, I am determined to build up the muscles in my legs so that I can start to walk properly again. KSS gave me the best gift I could ever ask for, my life.

The unique skills of the KSS team saved my life and for that I will be forever grateful. Without the interventions that KSS were able to provide at the scene of the accident, my recovery could have looked a lot different. In fact, I may not even have made it to the recovery stage.

Meet more patients whose lives you’ve changed through your support of KSS on our website aakss.org.uk/about-us/patient-stories

Events coming up

Run 31 is back! Our amazing Run 31 team will be back out in force next January, and we would love you to join us! Find out everything

you need to get involved on our website: aakss.org.uk/run31

BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED HOMES IN SUPERIOR LOCATIONS IN KENT

Choose from village, town or coastal developments, and select your new home from our range of stylish designs

Pebble Gate Place, Sandwich Forstal Mead, Coxheath

For more information call 01622 740170 www.westerhillhomes.co.uk

FAMILY MEMBERSHIP

MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS DESIGNED TO COMPLEMENT YOUR NEEDS.

Family Membership is available for two adults and includes two children less than 18 years of age. Members in this category enjoy full use and access to all the facilities on offer at London Golf Club, including our various social events, exclusive For more information fitting days, and more. Members also enjoy privileged rates at some of the best golf courses around the world. please contact LGC Golf Sales For more information please contact the LGC Golf Sales department on 01474 875752on 01474 875752 or email or email dominic@londongolf.co.uk dominic@londongolf.co.uk

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Events coming up

Join the 2022 KSS Golf Day! 14th June 2022

We are delighted that London Golf Club is supporting KSS for a second year as part of its commitment to raising deserved funds for vital local charities. KSS was voted for by the golf club’s staff and will be at the forefront of their charity work for the next year. Events include a prestigious golf day to raise funds for our livesaving service. A regular feature in UK top 100, London Golf Club boasts two championship golf courses, complemented by an awardwinning clubhouse, first-class hospitality and exceptional service to offer a memorable experience to members and guests.

London Golf Club is incredibly excited and proud to help keep KSS flying high and will continue to donate and fundraise to ensure these heroes can continue providing critical prehospital emergency care.

To enquire about entering a team, please contact Julie Clare at corporate@aakss.org.uk

Gift Aid

Did you know...?

If you are a UK taxpayer, every gift you make to Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS) could be worth 25% more at no extra cost to you just by choosing to Gift Aid it? We are registered for the scheme so if you are a UK taxpayer the Government allows us to claim Gift Aid on your donations at a rate of 25p in the pound. So for every £1 you donate, we can claim a further 25p — increasing the value of every gift you give by 25%

What do I need to do?

Simply confirm that you are a UK taxpayer and you want to Gift Aid your donation by completing a declaration – by phone, post or online at aakss.org.uk/gift-aid. With this, we can claim Gift Aid on all gifts you make from now on, PLUS any donation that you have given us within the last four years — as long as you were a taxpayer at the time.