Pediatric Air Ambulance Service

We are delighted to share the following report for the first quarter of 2026-27.

Lia’s Wings has continued to provide support for critically-ill children, providing hope and support when no-one else can. We remain the only UK air ambulance charity which uses fixed wing aircrafts, allowing us to provide life-savings aeromedical transfers for babies and children across the UK and internationally.

Over the last three months, we have experienced a 53% increase in the number of referrals we have received. We have supported 20 families. The majority have been for international medical repatriations and we have helped families who have been in Nigeria, Pakistan, Spain, Greece, Holland, France and Columbia, who needed to get home to the UK.

One of the children we helped in recent months was Adam.

Adam’s Story:

Adam was just four months old when he and his family had a serious accident on the last day of their holiday in Italy. His mother, Oana, was left in hospital with Adam on her own as Adam’s father and brother had to return to the UK. This was a huge shock to the whole family, as due to the injuries Adam sustained, the Doctors informed Adam’s parents that he probably would never be able to walk.

On top of the emotional trauma of the accident and having to cope with what felt like a devastating life-changing situation, Oana was told by the hospital in Italy that she would need to arrange safe medical transport for Adam back to the UK, as well as the appropriate hospital admission for his ongoing care. “I was just looking everywhere, getting quotes, trying to find hospitals. I didn’t know which way to go,” she says. “I was preoccupied and not focusing fully on Adam, sitting by his bedside searching on the internet and panicking as I couldn’t find any answers”. And then she had a breakthrough, “I found Lia’s Wings and emailed quite late at night because I couldn’t sleep, and at 6am Lia’s Wings replied instantly with a phone number.

From that moment, Lia’s Wings stayed beside her. “The Lia’s Wings Team texted me every day. Little updates just to reassure me things were moving forward. That let me focus on Adam because he was still in hospital, quite critical. Those little texts allowed me to breathe.”

As soon as Adam was stable enough to travel, we worked with trusted partners to bring him home.

Relief came almost instantly. Oana had desperately missed her eldest son, and Adam’s dad, had desperately missed Adam. Oana had felt lonely and on her own in Italy. She had kept a vigil by his bedside, but now she had the support of her husband. After five long weeks apart, the family were finally reunited.

Because of Lia’s Wings supporters, Adam was able to access the specialist spinal rehabilitation he urgently needed back under NHS care. The transfer reunited his family after five long weeks apart and ensured he could receive the best medical care for his new complex needs.

Now, Adam is receiving ongoing rehabilitation and specialist support from the NHS team in Bristol. His condition is more stable, his treatment is carefully managed, and he’s surrounded by his family as they adjust to life back home together.

Adam is just one of many brave children that we have supported this year. His story demonstrates the vital role that Lia’s Wings plays when a crisis occurs.

In each of these instances, and with every call for help we receive, Lia's Wings continues to be the only option for children, and families in urgent need. We are so grateful for the support we have received, and as we enter the new year, the number of children we will be required to fly looks set to grow again.

On behalf of the Lia's Wings Team, and all the beneficiaries we have supported this year, thank you for your support.