Tragedy struck on the 9th December 2019 when 58 year old midwife Deirdre McShane got into difficulty while swimming with friends in the sea at Ballycastle. The much loved mother of two sadly died despite valiant efforts to save her life from passers-by as well as emergency services including the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS).

Deirdre’s children, Róisín and Odhrán bravely raised vital funds for the charity Air Ambulance Northern Ireland, motivated by knowing how the medical crew tried their best to save their mammy. The family and community have raised an outstanding £18,099 in loving memory of Deirdre, which has helped the charity continue to deliver critical pre-hospital care at the scene of life-threatening incidents all over Northern Ireland.

On behalf of the McShane family, Roisin said: “We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone for their generosity in helping us raise these vital funds. Although no family ever wishes to need Air Ambulance NI, the charity provides a critical service that is there for all of us when needed. We’re proud to be able to make this donation, in loving memory of mammy, that will help someone in need of critical care in the future.”

Kerry Anderson, Head of Fundraising at Air Ambulance NI said: “We are extremely grateful and humbled by this donation from the McShane Family. It is moving to see how the family and local community came together in Deirdre’s memory and to do something so positive through such a tragic and difficult time. This exceptional and meaningful donation gives hope to patients and families in the worst situation.”