A WOMAN who fell 20ft at work has pledged to support the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) for life after the charity came to her aid.
Trudy Richardson, from Berwick-upon-Tweed, fell while working at a pre-school in her hometown, on September 15, 2017.
The 45-year-old’s colleagues rang the emergency services and Mrs Richardson was treated on scene by the GNAAS paramedic and doctor team as well as North East Ambulance Service.
She was then airlifted by the charity to the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle, where she arrived in a serious but stable condition.
Mrs Richardson suffered injuries including a fractured vertebra, dislocated hip, broken shoulder blade, and a brain injury.
She said: “I’ve got amnesia so I don’t recall the accident or the journey to hospital. When I was in the RVI I kept thinking I was dreaming and that I was going to wake up soon.
“It wasn’t until a week later when my mum visited that I realised what had happened was real and I was in a hospital bed.”
Mrs Richardson left the hospital after two weeks to continue to recover at home, but she might not be able to return to work until the new school year in September.
She said: “I was so lucky that GNAAS treated me. These guys practically saved my life and I can’t express how grateful I am for the care they gave me on that day. They took me to hospital so quickly which I’m sure helped speed up the recovery.
“My injuries are slowly healing but I can feel the pain if I do too much. My husband Ian has been amazing and bent over backwards for me while I’ve been at home, so I can’t praise him enough.
“I’m now also a life-long supporter of GNAAS, and in time when I’m better, I might take part in the Great North Run to raise money for them because these guys are amazing.”
Last year, GNAAS responded to more than 800 call-outs. It cost £5.1m to keep the service operational. To find out how you can help, please visit www.gnaas.com or call 01325-373258.
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