Wokingham

Wokingham Andrew Pearce is lucky to be alive. Although he doesn’t remember the details of his accident, his car hit a lorry and he was left with brain injuries, fractures of the sternum, broken ribs and vertebrae, a shattered humerus, and a hole in the lung.

But thanks to the emergency services and to the Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance (TVCAA), Andrew has lived to tell the tale – and is working hard to prepare for a return to normal Wokingham working life.

“I suffered amnesia, which unfortunately means I cannot remember the details of the fine work done by the air ambulance, police and fire service,” said Andrew. “What I do know is that if I hadn't been able to transfer so safely and quickly to a hospital specialising in severe trauma and head injury, I might well have died.”

The Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance is funded by the businesses and people of the Thames Valley. The yellow Bolkow 105 helicopter carries life-saving equipment and is crewed by a pilot and two paramedics. The paramedics are provided by the NHS but all other costs are funded by the Trust. The helicopter is operated in daylight hours and is on call seven days a week. To date, the helicopter has answered over 8,000 emergency calls within the Thames Valley area, saving many lives.

TVCAA is the nominated charity of this year’s Wokingham District Council chairman, Cllr Angus Ross. Cllr Ross has organised numerous fundraising events for the charity, including a recent Christmas card sale at Wokingham Library’s tenth birthday party on November 3.

Following his accident, Andrew Pearce is now spending much of his recuperation at Wokingham Library, which is close to his home in Langborough Road.

“The biggest problem with my rehabilitation has been the traumatic head injury. Some aspects of my functionality are diminished - particularly my ability to cope with a busy or noisy environment. The library has been invaluable to me in this respect - I have been able to walk to the library where I can concentrate on reading and working on my laptop without interruptions or noise. I have been able to sit and work comfortably with excellent facilities, which has been invaluable in helping me prepare for a hopeful return to work sometime around Christmas,” he said. “I have also been able to read some excellent books on traumatic head injury!”

At the library’s tenth birthday party on November 3, Andrew was glad to meet Stevie Horton, the air ambulance’s chief fundraiser.

“Without TVCAA’s excellent work I certainly would not be here in the state I am today. One day I would like to thank the pilot and paramedics, and hopefully find out some more of the details,” said Andrew, who is now well on the way to recovery, and getting to know his second child – born two weeks after he returned home from hospital.

“Andrew’s recovery is an amazing story,” said council chairman Cllr Ross. “It is a great example of the vital role that the air ambulance is playing in saving lives. I would like to thank all those who are helping to raise funds for this invaluable service, and I do hope there will be more stories like Andrew’s, with happy endings, in the Trust’s future work!”

Wokingham District Council