As North West Air Ambulance Charity (NWAA) marks the start of Air Ambulance Week, a Wirral woman who was airlifted to hospital following a major heart attack is celebrating 14 years of fundraising in support of the charity that helped save her life.
Wendy Dewhurst, from Prenton, has raised thousands of pounds for NWAA since receiving lifesaving treatment after becoming seriously unwell while walking her dog, Molly, on New Brighton beach on New Year’s Eve in 2011.
The charity’s Air Ambulance Week campaign shines a spotlight on the lifesaving care provided by air ambulance charities across the UK and the supporters who help keep them flying. Since the beginning of the year alone, NWAA has attended more than 800 cardiac arrests and has been called to over 270 incidents across Merseyside.
For Wendy, the charity’s work is more than a statistic.
After collapsing on New Brighton beach, Wendy received emergency treatment at the scene before being airlifted to Broadgreen Hospital by NWAA. She later learned she had suffered a major heart attack and gone into cardiogenic shock, a serious condition with a low survival rate.
Determined to give something back following her recovery, Wendy joined forces with her best friend, Carol Morton, and has spent the last 14 years raising vital funds to support the charity’s lifesaving work.
Wendy said: “I’m only here because of the people who helped me that day. The emergency services were incredible, and the North West Air Ambulance Charity got me to hospital when I needed urgent treatment. I wanted to do something to give back.”
Their fundraising journey began with a two-day event at their local Asda store, raising £3,000 for the charity through donations and match funding. Since then, the pair have taken on abseil challenges, organised raffles and awareness events, and, more recently, turned their attention to producing homemade jams and marmalade to raise funds.
The duo sell their preserves at monthly coffee mornings hosted by the Wirral Animal Welfare Association and have built up a loyal customer base. Since October alone, they have raised more than £700 through sales, pushing their overall fundraising total beyond £4,300.
Wendy said: “People are constantly coming back for more. We sell our jars for £3.50 each or two for £6, a bit like a supermarket offer. We pick the fruit ourselves, get Seville oranges donated, buy the jars and make the labels ourselves, so all the profits go directly to NWAA.”
Reflecting on why she continues to support the charity more than a decade after her incident, Wendy added: “I was told afterwards that I was extremely lucky to survive, which is why we continue fundraising. The North West Air Ambulance Charity is only there because people support it. They rely on donations from the public, and we want to do our bit to help ensure they’re there for the next person who needs them.” 
Now official volunteers for the charity, Wendy and Carol hope their story encourages others to get involved during Air Ambulance Week and beyond.
Carol said: “We’ve always thrown ourselves into fundraising. If we’re doing something, we do it properly. Wendy’s story shows just how important the charity is. We hope nobody ever needs them, but we’re proof of what a difference they can make.
“Fourteen years on, we’re still fundraising because we know first-hand how important this service is. If sharing Wendy’s story encourages even one person to support NWAA during Air Ambulance Week, then that’s a fantastic outcome.”
Rhianna McDermott, Regional Fundraiser for NWAA, said: “Air Ambulance Week is a chance to celebrate the incredible supporters who make our lifesaving work possible, and Wendy and Carol are the perfect example of that. Wendy’s story demonstrates the lasting impact our service can have on patients and their families. Fourteen years after receiving treatment, she continues to give back through fundraising and volunteering, helping us to reach more patients across the region.
“As a charity that receives no government funding for its day-to-day operations, every jar sold, every fundraising event organised and every donation made helps us continue bringing hospital-level care directly to people when they need it most.”
North West Air Ambulance Charity serves more than eight million people across Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside. Operating three helicopters and four critical care cars, the charity must raise more than £18 million each year to continue delivering advanced pre-hospital care to patients across the North West.