The life-saving rescue of a Ripon Mum following a cycling accident features in the first episode of a new prime time television series.
Experienced cyclist Karen Coram was taking part in a 60-mile ride with her daughter when it is believed her bike hit grating at the bottom of Kirkby Road, Ripon.
The 61-year-old suffered serious skull fractures after hitting the tarmac face first. Her daughter, Rebecca, cycling a short distance behind, called the emergency services and help was also given at the scene by a nurse who was driving past.
Karen, the former deputy head of Ripon Cathedral Choir School, was airlifted by Yorkshire Air Ambulance to Leeds General Infirmary where she was spent two days in neuro intensive care after being placed in an induced coma.
After nearly three weeks in hospital, the Mum-of-three has had a long and difficult recovery with memory, vision, temperature control and movement problems as well as mood swings.
She is now back on a bike – but a tandem with husband Bruce. The couple have also moved to Lincolnshire where they are building their own eco-friendly home.
Karen said:
My family have banned me from riding on my own. But my husband and I have cycled thousands of miles on the tandem and are looking forward to more trips now.I am just so grateful to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. If it had not been for them my family would have been without me.
Karen’s story features in the first episode of Helicopter ER on Monday, 26 September 2016, a new series on UKTV’s real life channel Really which follows the life-saving work of Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
The new series is being made by many of the team behind the popular BBC programme Helicopter Heroes, who have again been flying with Yorkshire pilots, paramedics and doctors for the new show which goes out every Monday night for the next 12 weeks.
Other stories featured in the first episode include the dramatic rescue of a groundsman trapped under his sinking tractor in an East Yorkshire lake and a farmer who was attacked by his own bulls.
Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) serves 5million people across Yorkshire and carries out over 1,250 missions every year. The charity needs to raise £12,000 every day and are currently replacing their two ageing aircraft with brand new, state-of-the-art Airbus H145 helicopters.
A second series on UKTV’s real life channel Really will broadcast in 2017.
