When Janine and her husband Trevor set off for their first visit to the Isle of Wight, they never imagined how quickly their lives would be turned upside down. Shortly after arriving, Janine suffered a devastating fall from a sea wall, plunging nine feet onto concrete steps and sustaining life-threatening injuries.
Thanks to the HELP Appeal funded helipad at Southampton General Hospital, Janine received critical hospital care in the fastest time possible, giving her the best chance of survival.
The HELP Appeal donated £1 million to build this helipad, located right next to the Emergency Department. Since opening, it has seen over 4,230 emergency landings. One of them was Janine’s.
A devastating fall
One Saturday evening while enjoying a stroll near the coast, Janine suddenly vanished from Trevor’s view. She had slipped off a sea wall and landed hard on the concrete below, striking her head and back.
Janine said:
“I don’t want to sound dramatic, but Trevor thought I was dead. It wasn’t until I let out a groan that he knew I was alive.”
Janine lay semi-conscious, unable to move, with a severe head wound that would later require 52 stitches. A nearby restaurant manager with medical training rushed to help and took over the 999 call from Trevor.
Photo: © Island Echo
Critical response
Within minutes, paramedics, the Coastguard and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance arrived on scene. With Janine’s condition rapidly deteriorating and her blood pressure dangerously low, strong pain relief and medication was administered to stabilise her.
Once ready for transfer, Janine was airlifted to Southampton General Hospital. Because of the HELP Appeal funded helipad, the helicopter was able to land directly beside the Emergency Department, eliminating the need for a secondary ambulance transfer.
Janine said:
“I am completely certain that the time saved in getting treatment saved my life—and the helipad played a vital role in that, I was completely out of it, but my husband saw everything and he’s incredibly grateful. As soon as I landed, I was rushed straight into specialist care.”
The road to recovery
Janine underwent emergency surgery and spent the next 18 days in the Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit. She had suffered a fractured skull, a bleed on the brain and a fractured spine that damaged her spinal cord, leaving her reliant on a wheelchair.
As if this trauma weren’t enough, tragedy struck again. On the same day as her accident, Janine’s brother unexpectedly passed away. Trevor didn’t tell her for two weeks, knowing she wasn’t yet strong enough to cope.
Photo: © Island Echo
Moving forward
Thanks to the support of their children, Kate and Russ and their partners, Janine and Trevor have rebuilt their lives with remarkable courage.
Janine said:
“We’ve all had to support each other and be positive all the way through, because what else can you do?”
But one thing remains absolutely clear to Janine and Trevor: without the precious time saved by the hospital helipad, Janine might not have survived.
She adds:
“A charity like the HELP appeal means the world to me…It is vital that it is successful so that these helipads can be built as close as possible to hospitals because time is of the essence in every tragic accident. I can’t thank enough all those involved that day who saved my life.”
Support more lifesaving helipads
The HELP Appeal is the only charity in the UK dedicated to funding hospital helipads. With over 50 more projects in the pipeline, we need your support to ensure that more patients like Janine receive life-saving treatment in the critical moments that matter most.
To support our work you can donate HERE.
