Regarding your article in The Progress on Thursday, July 7, 2011- “Air ambulance saving lives in the Fraser Valley”, I would like to send a great big thank you to the Fraser Health Authority, the B.C. Ambulance Services and the specially-trained critical care paramedics.
In the article you mention six patients from the Chilliwack area that may already owe their lives to this new program and as one of the six people, I am living proof that these dedicated, well organized people and this program has saved my life. Exactly one month to the date after the program was implemented I had a major heart attack and can attest to the efficiency of both the ambulance service and the paramedics that responded to my 911 call.
Words cannot describe the gratitude I will feel every day for the rest of my life because these people took the time to do their job in such a manner that they do make the difference and for this I will be forever grateful. (I would like to say a very special thank you to the gentleman that made the decision to airlift me to Royal Columbia where I received the STEMI procedure and the most wonderful care that I could ever ask for. I wished I had asked your name but I am sure you know who you are.)
When I tell people about my experience I tell them how lucky I am not just to be here but to have had the care and attention of these wonderful people who are in my opinion, amazing. Bless you all!
Patricia Neufeld,
Chilliwack