Dash in the Dark Isle of Wight
Kevan Taylor
My Story
I am supporting Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance by taking part in their night time glow run, Dash in the Dark. Please support me by sponsoring my running efforts!
This will be my second year of doing Dash in the Dark, I was honoured to be invited to meet the crew and see the air ambulance at the base near Thruxton after they saved my life on 3 occasions.
To date I have had 42 brain surgeries, a stroke, 2 TIA's and a brain haemorrhage.
If you have made it this far, thank you, my story is below, I will apologise now as its a long story but we'll worth the read.
In 2005 I felt poorly at work, after visiting the Doctors I was diagnosed with the mumps which at the age of 21 is rare in itself.
A couple weeks went past and I returned to work, my first shift back and I felt unwell again so decided to take some time off to recover fully, later that evening I became very unwell and was transferred to the hospital where I was diagnosed with meningitis and started on treatment.
Fast forward a month and although I was feeling well, when I returned to work I couldn't manage the job I had done for years, this was complicated by losing my eye sight whenever I reached down to remove things from the oven, being 21 and usually healthy I brushed off these episodes.
I finally gave in and visited the doctor who sent me to the hospital for a scan, I remember hearing the doctor on the phone requesting an emergency admission to Southampton University Hospital, this can't be for me I thought so I assumed it was for the elderly gentleman sat next to me.
I was taken to Southampton and had brain surgery to place a shunt which is a tube that takes the pressure and fluid from the brain and diverts it to the peritoneal cavity.
A shunt has a 50% chance of lasting a year, to date I have had 42 brain surgeries.
In 2012, 2016 and 2019 my life was saved by the air ambulance after my shunt became blocked, I only have 4 hours to seek neurosurgeon assistance when this happens and living on the Isle of Wight with no neurosurgical department at our hospital this becomes very problematic.
It's thanks to the Air Ambulance that I am still here today and I can be a father to my children, my children, Sophia, Theo, George and Mitchell will joining me to help daddy complete the walk and I will also be joined by my partner Natasha.
Without the Air Ambulance I would not be here neither would countless others who have been saved by this vital lifeline that relies on donations to keep operating.
We are in a cost of living crisis so I don't expect anyone to donate but if you can then thank you it's very much appreciated, a share helps raise the profile of this amazing service and costs nothing 🙏
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Target
£60
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Raised so far
£240
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Number of donors
13
My Story
I am supporting Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance by taking part in their night time glow run, Dash in the Dark. Please support me by sponsoring my running efforts!
This will be my second year of doing Dash in the Dark, I was honoured to be invited to meet the crew and see the air ambulance at the base near Thruxton after they saved my life on 3 occasions.
To date I have had 42 brain surgeries, a stroke, 2 TIA's and a brain haemorrhage.
If you have made it this far, thank you, my story is below, I will apologise now as its a long story but we'll worth the read.
In 2005 I felt poorly at work, after visiting the Doctors I was diagnosed with the mumps which at the age of 21 is rare in itself.
A couple weeks went past and I returned to work, my first shift back and I felt unwell again so decided to take some time off to recover fully, later that evening I became very unwell and was transferred to the hospital where I was diagnosed with meningitis and started on treatment.
Fast forward a month and although I was feeling well, when I returned to work I couldn't manage the job I had done for years, this was complicated by losing my eye sight whenever I reached down to remove things from the oven, being 21 and usually healthy I brushed off these episodes.
I finally gave in and visited the doctor who sent me to the hospital for a scan, I remember hearing the doctor on the phone requesting an emergency admission to Southampton University Hospital, this can't be for me I thought so I assumed it was for the elderly gentleman sat next to me.
I was taken to Southampton and had brain surgery to place a shunt which is a tube that takes the pressure and fluid from the brain and diverts it to the peritoneal cavity.
A shunt has a 50% chance of lasting a year, to date I have had 42 brain surgeries.
In 2012, 2016 and 2019 my life was saved by the air ambulance after my shunt became blocked, I only have 4 hours to seek neurosurgeon assistance when this happens and living on the Isle of Wight with no neurosurgical department at our hospital this becomes very problematic.
It's thanks to the Air Ambulance that I am still here today and I can be a father to my children, my children, Sophia, Theo, George and Mitchell will joining me to help daddy complete the walk and I will also be joined by my partner Natasha.
Without the Air Ambulance I would not be here neither would countless others who have been saved by this vital lifeline that relies on donations to keep operating.
We are in a cost of living crisis so I don't expect anyone to donate but if you can then thank you it's very much appreciated, a share helps raise the profile of this amazing service and costs nothing 🙏
