The Children’s Air Ambulance (TCAA) is hosting a fantastic Race Day in a bid to raise vital funds and awareness for the lifesaving charity.
A national service, TCAA is changing the face of paediatric and neonatal care through the high-speed transfer of critically ill babies and children – flying them from one hospital to another for specialist care. The clinically-designed helicopters essentially provide a flying intensive care unit.
Set to take place at Doncaster Racecourse on Saturday 16 July, the charity’s fabulous event packages on offer include free parking, admission badges and tickets, a drinks reception, a three-course dinner, live racing, and a live music concert by the legendary Nile Rodgers and Chic in the evening.
About this, TCAA Community Fundraising Executive, Sharon Evans, said: “Guests can relax at their private table for the evening and enjoy a sumptuous three-course meal that offers a bird’s eye view of the finishing post.
“It really is the perfect opportunity to enjoy an evening with colleagues, family, and friends whilst raising vital funds for a very worthy cause.”
With sponsorship packages also available to purchase, there’s an opportunity to become a race sponsor for the evening, which includes naming rights, accessing the exclusive parade ring, presenting the trophy to the winner, and many more benefits.
Amongst the guests in attendance will be Daniel Clegg – father of former TCAA patient Pippa Clegg-Rimmer – who will give a first-hand account of Pippa’s story and why the service is so vitally important.
Pippa – from Sheffield – has a very rare form of pulmonary hypertension, one of only four cases ever recorded, and she was the first person under the age of 14 in the UK to have surgery to remove blood clots from her heart and lungs.
Before the operation, her parents were told that there were no guarantees she would survive surgery but, as her condition was rapidly deteriorating and her life expectancy was less than a year, they felt they had no alternative but to give their consent for it to go ahead.
Miraculously, Pippa defied the odds, and four weeks after she underwent the ground-breaking surgery, she was flown on the Children’s Air Ambulance from London to Sheffield to be admitted to Sheffield Children’s Hospital.
Her dad Daniel accompanied her on the 70-minute transfer, a journey that would have otherwise taken over six hours due to distance and traffic hold-ups.
Reflecting on this, Daniel said: “My family is very grateful that the Children’s Air Ambulance was there when we needed it. The charity is funded solely by generous donations so I encourage people to support them by going to events like the Doncaster Race Day, and I hope that me sharing our story to those at the event will exemplify what a vital and worthy cause TCAA is to support,” says Daniel.
The charity has limited places available, so to purchase one of the packages or a table at the event please contact: sharon.evans@childrensairambulance.org.uk or call 07387 265 613.
