A man has run 300 miles for charity in support of the air ambulance after the service saved his friend’s life after suffering a blood clot.
Adam White, from Long Eaton in Nottinghamshire, took part in the Coast to Coast challenge, starting in St David’s in the west and ending in Skegness in the east.
He raised money for the Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance after his friend Jamie Broom fell down stairs and was knocked unconscious last year.
The incident was more serious than first thought and Jamie was airlifted to the QMC to undergo emergency surgery for a blood clot the size of a fist on his brain.
He said: “The air ambulance played such a massive part in saving Jamie’s life on that day so I wanted to do something to support my local air ambulance.
“Jamie’s recovery is still on-going, but if it wasn’t for the air ambulance, it could have been a very different story, I think it is important to support my local air ambulance.”
The two men met during their time in the British Army in 1999 and Adam himself has also been fighting his own battle against PTSD, associated depression, and anxiety.
As part of his recovery he has taken to running and is challenging himself to run further and faster than before.
Speaking about his run, Adam said: “I decided that I needed a focus to get me through these difficult times and wanted to inspire others to use exercise to improve not only their physical health, but also their mental health.
“The run was an amazing adventure and one that I will never forget, it showed me how supportive and giving people can be for a good cause.
“The mental challenge was tougher than the run itself, it is harder to train the mind to be ready for such a challenge than the physical side, especially when I look back to where I was a few months ago and what I have experienced with my mental health in the past 10 years.”
In total Adam covered 305.54 miles on his journey and was greeted by family and friends at Skegness Pier.
It costs an average of £2,100 every time the Ambucopter responds to a potentially life-threatening situation.
Last year the Lincolnshire & Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance responded to 1,000 such missions.
Lincolnshire & Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance’s Nottinghamshire Community Fundraiser, Karen Carter, said: “We are extremely grateful that Adam has chosen to undertake this challenge for us.
“Our Charity relies on support from the public and every penny really does help save lives – as Adam and Jamie have discovered first hand. I wish both him and Jamie all the best in their own recovery.”
Adam White has set a goal of raising £5,000 and has currently raised almost £4,400.
