In 2024, our crews were tasked to treat 521 people who had suffered a cardiac arrest – a life-threatening medical emergency where every second counts. One of those people was Andrew Gibson from Norfolk. He was out on a solo cycle ride in February 2024 when he suffered a cardiac arrest mid-ride.
Our crews can get to the scene of a cardiac arrest quickly – but not as quickly as the people already there. The motorist in the car behind Andrew when his cardiac arrest happened worked at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. Crucially, they knew what to do. Supported by another person, they commenced CPR while the emergency services – including our Anglia One (Norwich) crew – were called to the scene by helicopter.
“The paramedics in the land ambulance brought a defibrillator, while a crew from East Anglian Air Ambulance came by helicopter. It was all quite dramatic, but I was blissfully unaware. I have long been a supporter of East Anglian Air Ambulance but hadn’t anticipated being one of their patients!” Andrew explains.
Fuelled by supporter donations, we partner the ambulance service across the most serious of incidents including road traffic collisions, cardiac arrests and other medical emergencies. When someone needs us, it’s usually the worst moment of their life, and their family’s. That’s why our specialist doctors, critical care paramedics and pilots bring the advanced skills, equipment and medicine directly to the patient’s side in the fastest time possible, providing care normally only found in a specialist emergency department.
Our crew intubated Andrew. This is a vital procedure used when a patient cannot breathe on their own, or when our clinicians need to take over their breathing to keep them safe and as stable as possible. It involves gently placing a tube through the mouth to maintain an open airway, which is then connected to a ventilator to move air in and out of the lungs. For patients in cardiac arrest, our clinicians routinely perform intubation as part of their care. This intervention not only supports breathing but also gives patients, like Andrew, the best possible chance of survival.
Our crew then accompanied Andrew to hospital for further treatment. He spent four days in critical care, before moving to a ward and commencing a cardiac recovery scheme, which helped Andrew to focus on his diet and exercise. And this was the start of something more positive because Andrew decided to take up running.
In May 2025, he started using the Couch to 5K app and gradually built up his fitness. But more than that, he started to fall in love with running.
“I joined the Green Dragon Runners – a local, social running group for all abilities,” Andrew says.
As Andrew’s running miles increased, he signed up for the Norwich Half-Marathon in November 2025, a 13.1 road race around Norwich and the surrounding countryside. He also raised money in aid of East Anglian Air Ambulance as part of his half-marathon challenge.
“It was a very wet day!” Andrew says, “I got drenched at the start! I planned to start slow, keep going and then speed up towards the end. Pacers helped, and I tagged onto the 2 hour 45 group, which was really helpful and I finished in a time of 2 hours 42 minutes.”
Andrew adds, “In the early days after my cardiac arrest, I could only manage to shuffle around my garden, so to come this far is amazing. My partner and sisters were there at the finish line. It was all quite overwhelming, but I feel really proud and have raised over £500 in aid of East Anglian Air Ambulance.”
We’re fuelled entirely by donations, without any regular government funding, so this incredible support from Andrew, and people like him, powers every single mission.
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