Sponsored Editorial

Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS) is asking people across Kent to help it be ‘Ready to Save Lives’ this Christmas, with the launch of its Christmas appeal highlighting that lots of families would be facing very different futures if it wasn't for their lifesaving work.

The launch of the appeal also poignantly coincides with the charity marking its 35th anniversary of saving lives and keeping families together right across the region.

KSS first took to the skies on 6 November 1989 and has since made over 43,000 lifesaving missions to people just like former patient Sam Jenner from Kent who is the focus of the Christmas appeal alongside KSS Paramedic David Wright who helped save her life.

Sam was six months pregnant when she suddenly experienced a cardiac arrest at home and collapsed in her room while getting ready for work. Thankfully her partner called 999 had already begun vital CPR ahead of the land ambulance crew arriving and restarting her heart.

But Sam was still critically ill. To save Sam and her unborn baby KSS needed to provide lifesaving emergency care at the scene and then fly them to King’s College Hospital in London, fast.

KSS Paramedic David Wright said: “Within minutes of receiving the call we were racing through the sky to Sam’s side. Thinking through all the training, drills and practice scenarios that meant we were ready to save lives. We’d been briefed that Sam was pregnant. That meant two lives were on the line. Literally every second counted for survival.”

Sam added, "Thanks to KSS supporters, I've been able to be a mum and stay with my family. By supporting their Christmas appeal you will help KSS look after thousands more patients and families just like me and my family."

David Welch is Chief Executive of KSS. He said: “As a charity, we can only keep flying and saving lives thanks to the incredible generosity of our supporters. Our supporters make it possible for us to be here, ready to save lives and keep families together, when every second counts 24/7, over the festive season, and every day of the year.”

Since being founded by the remarkable vision and determination of Kate Chivers, KSS has become one of the world’s leading air ambulance charities. It is renowned in the UK and across the world for its innovation and research which are helping to drive improvements in pre-hospital emergency medicine, meaning many thousands of more lives have been saved across Kent, Surrey and Sussex and further afield.

When the unexpected happens and turns a family Christmas into a life-or-death emergency, help KSS be ready to save lives by supporting the KSS appeal at aakss.org.uk/ready.