Today we were visited by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance Education Team. The children learnt about the important work that they do in helping to save lives by getting injured people to hospital as quickly as possible.  There was a focus of the importance of wearing a cycle helmet. Jo  who was presenting the assembly told the children about Maisie's story who was badly injured after a road accident and how wearing a cycle helmet helped to save her life.

Maisie wants everyone to know her story:

A Patient Story: Maisie Godden-Hall

My name is Maisie and I'm 11 years old in year 6. I live with Mum and Dad and my older brother. I love everything active including; running, cross country, netball, gymnastics and horse riding. When the weather is good, I enjoy cycling to school and home to my grandparents at the end of the day.

On the morning of my accident I got ready for school as usual, but I was running a bit late as I couldn't remember where I'd put my cycle helmet. It was a strict rule that I wasn't allowed to cycle without it, and by the time I did find it, it was later than usual. I was cycling my regular route, which involved using the crossings and cycling on the pavement. I was travelling quite fast to make up some time, but I realised that a car at the junction was moving out and I needed to brake hard.

As I braked, my bike stopped, but I didn't. I flew over the handle bars of my bike and landed in front of the car. The driver didn't see me and moved forward right over me. It didn’t take the driver long for her to realise that something had happened.

Initially I was unconscious, but an extremely kind lady who had seen everything ran over to me. I was so scared and frightened, and my leg was hurting but she stayed with me and held my hand. I had hit the road very hard on the side of my head and had injured my face and lost a lot of teeth. I was trapped underneath the car.

Someone called for an ambulance and the emergency services were soon on the scene. The situation was assessed and the Air Ambulance was called. Because of my injuries I needed to be transferred to the Major Trauma Centre at Southampton Hospital as quickly as possible.

The Air Ambulance landed in a horse paddock opposite where the accident had happened. It was a really, really scary time. I remember the Air Ambulance doctor coming under the car where I was trapped, talking to me and giving me something for the pain; he was really nice. The car had to be lifted off me by the fire service and I was put to sleep whilst this happened.

I do remember parts of the journey in the helicopter. It was very quick and I remember seeing lots of tubes and the crew talked to me constantly. I was transferred to the A&E department of the hospital where a team of 30 doctors and nurses treated me before I was transferred up to intensive care. I had 3 breaks in my pelvis, a broken collar bone, major facial injuries and the loss of 7 teeth.

I was told that, had I not been wearing my cycle helmet, I probably would have died.

I know I am only 11 years old, but I really want to use what happened to me to encourage others to wear cycle helmets. It has been life changing for me and my family, but I survived because I was wearing a helmet. I want other people to understand that it could happen to anyone…. It happened to me.

The children took part in the assembly really enthusiastically and enjoyed trying on the helicopter pilots helmet. we found out that the helicopter is often called out 3 times a day and on one day was called out an amazing 8 times.