For greater than 40 years, crews with Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service — higher recognized to many as STARS air ambulance — have taken to the skies of Canada to avoid wasting lives.
“You by no means know once you’re going to want STARS,” mentioned former affected person, Broc James Higginson. “It might occur to you in your approach residence right now. It’s actually vital that everybody is aware of that.”
In the summertime of 2020, Higginson was working because the principal of a Lethbridge bilingual elementary faculty and preparing for the day when issues modified straight away.
“I wasn’t feeling good. I figured I’d simply prepare for work for the morning.
“Subsequent factor I knew, I awoke in ICU at Foothills Hospital (in Calgary).”
When Higginson didn’t present as much as work, his colleagues contacted his household. They arrived and located him in life-threatening situation.
“He was unconscious. He had aspirated, so he was having problem respiratory,” mentioned Stephanie Mills, Higginson’s spouse.
Unbeknownst to him, a mind tumour had grown in Higginson’s head and he’d had a seizure. After EMS arrived, he was rushed to hospital.
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“When he was introduced into the emergency room he had very, very low vitals,” Mills mentioned.
“They had been involved he wasn’t going to make it.”
Whereas his life had flipped the wrong way up, a fast resolution from an area physician, mixed with a quick response from STARS, meant Higginson would stay one other day.
“The emergency room physician then known as STARS instantly and really has the report time for having STARS in southern Alberta than ever earlier than,” mentioned Mills.
Whereas Higginson remains to be coping with the mind most cancers, his household hopes their emergency expertise with STARS is hopefully as soon as in a lifetime.
Nonetheless, STARS flies 10 missions each single day on common.
Whereas the sight of STARS coincides with an emergency, it additionally brings hope.
A STARS Air Ambulance helicopter lifts off from a grass airstrip in Linden, Ab. after being known as in Tuesday to assist transport an individual to hospital in Calgary after they had been critically injured in a small aircraft crash.
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“The opposite day we had been out for a stroll and we noticed the pink helicopter within the sky. Even five-and-a-half years later, we stopped to thank God for the entry Broc needed to STARS,” mentioned Mills.
Higginson is the namesake of the 2026 Lethbridge STARS present residence, constructed by Van Arbor Properties.
The house owners of Van Arbor Properties have a deep connection to the air ambulance themselves.
The Lowens misplaced their child daughter, however witnessed the care and velocity with which STARS operated, guaranteeing they needed to assist the group as nicely.
“We weren’t in a position to keep away from tragedy in our personal lives, however we will positive go a protracted methods to serving to make it possible for story isn’t recurring for different individuals,” mentioned Val Lowen, proprietor of Van Arbor Properties.
This yr, STARS has a really clear message to anybody contemplating supporting them.
“Once you buy a STARS lottery ticket, it’s not solely your likelihood at profitable a terrific prize, but it surely’s your likelihood at saving a life,” mentioned Jeri-Lynn Johnston, VP of the STARS Basis.
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