Help keep the Starship Air Ambulance Flying
, donate now to help fund NZ's only paediatric Air Ambulance
Your gift will be lifesaving for babies like Marley.
When a child’s life is on the line, every minute counts. For babies like Marley, New Zealand’s only flying PICU is there for children who need it, the moment they need it.
Marley was just 11 days’ old when his life took a serious turn for the worst.
First-time mum Katie says her ‘mum gut’ told her something wasn’t right with Marley when he was up all night, unable to settle. When they arrived at an after-hours medical clinic, the nurse sent them straight to Christchurch Hospital. By the time dad Ryan joined them, Marley was unconscious.
After exploratory surgery and three nights in the Christchurch Intensive Care Unit,
the teams knew that Marley needed specialist life-saving care at New Zealand’s only Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), Starship.
Marley needed a Starship Emergency PICU Pick-Up.
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I want to help keep the Air Ambulance flying to provide lifesaving emergency care to children, no matter where they are in New Zealand.
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Donate now so critically ill and injured children can get lifesaving care.
Katie remembers feeling “so overwhelmed” when the flight team arrived. “I was worried something would happen while we were in the air, but … they were so reassuring, they really made me feel like Marley was in safe hands.”
In under 120-minutes of flying time, Marley was at Starship.
At Starship PICU, tests revealed that he had developed sepsis – a serious, life-threatening condition and his tiny body was now fighting a losing battle. Marley needed surgery and five days of intensive 24-hour care in Starship PICU. Today, the young family can barely believe their good fortune. Marley made a full recovery.
“Ryan and I are so incredibly grateful for all the care we had with Marley. We have never felt more looked after, understood, and safe,” says Katie.
Marley needed surgery and five days of intensive 24-hour care in the Starship PICU, as clinicians fought to support his recovery from the damage caused by the sepsis.
Your donation will mean other tiny patients like Marley are in equally safe hands, in the air and in PICU.
Help fund a Starship Emergency PICU Pick-Up.
With our busiest months of July and August still ahead of us, we are facing unprecedented demand and with that demand comes rising costs. We urgently need your help to cover them. With your support, we can make sure no child is ever too far away to receive the care they need – no matter where they are.