On May 27th, Corrina Hamilton from Armagh undertook the greatest challenge of her life, walking 115km over one week on the Camino de Santiago in memory of her husband Brian and stepson Gary. Inspired to support the air ambulance that attended to Gary after a fatal motorcycle accident in 2018, and knowing her husband would have wanted to continue that support, Corrina was determined to raise critical funds for future patients. Tragically, Brian passed away in August 2021, and Corrina recalled feeling “guided” throughout her journey to Santiago.

With tremendous support from her family, friends, colleagues at St. Luke’s Hospital, and the local fire service where Brian served as Watch Commander and Gary as a Firefighter, Corrina proudly donated £1,045 to the air ambulance charity. Amy Henshaw, Area Fundraising Manager at Air Ambulance NI, expressed her gratitude, saying, “We are deeply grateful to Corrina for thinking of her local air ambulance as she embarked on her Camino journey in memory of Brian and Gary. We are amazed at her strength and determination for taking on an incredible challenge, and sincerely thank her for another very generous donation.”

The charity Air Ambulance Northern Ireland, in partnership with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, provides the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) for Northern Ireland. Tasked on average twice a day, the HEMS team delivers urgent medical care to any location in the province within approximately twenty-five minutes. The air ambulance relies on public donations to continue flying to those in critical need.

As a local charity, Air Ambulance NI aspires to raise £2.5 million annually to sustain the service. Public donations are vital, and one simple way to support is by joining Club AANI with a monthly or annual subscription. For more information, visit www.airambulanceni.org, email info@airambulanceni.org, or call 028 9262 2677.