A WOMAN has praised the air ambulance crew who airlifted her mother and has handed over funds in her memory.
Liza McCarron and husband Geoff Wilkinson this week visited the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) airbase to thank Doctor Theo Weston and paramedic Andy Dalton.
Janet Anne McCarron, known as Annie, from North Stainmore, Kirkby Stephen, was rushed to the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle on February 8 after suffering from breathing difficulties at home. Four days later, she died in hospital.
Liza, from Bristol, said: “Sadly my mum died in the intensive care unit (ITU) but I’d like to thank all of the GNAAS crew for their great work in getting her there and giving her a chance.
“The last words she said to me over the phone were ‘they’re sending the ambulance.’
“It has been a pleasure to talk to Theo and Andy, knowing that they were with her. It was reassuring and I feel it has helped bring closure.
“The staff in ITU also gave her such care and compassion that I couldn’t have asked for more.”
Annie, 67, was a supporter of GNAAS and had lived in North Stainmore for 36 years.
Liza said: “Her ambition was to live on a remote hillside and she fulfilled her dream. I think knowing that there was an air ambulance in case anything happened allowed her to remain independent in a place she loved.
“It brings home how important GNAAS is in rural areas.”
Annie described by her daughter as an “a life-long learner” had studied philosophy and religious studies at the University of Wales as a mature student in her forties.
Liza said: “She was intelligent, generous and fiercely independent. Her friends would describe her as someone who made you think. A great loss to the world.”
Liza and Geoff handed over £370 in funeral donations to GNAAS which is a charity reliant on donations to survive.
She said: “I can’t say enough good things about them [GNAAS] such as their professionalism and dedication. I’d encourage everyone to support them and spread the word.”
Annie McCarron
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