NORFOLK HOUSE BUILDER TO FUND SECOND YEAR OF PIONEERING AIR AMBULANCE INNOVATION PROJECT – AND MAKES THREE YEAR FUNDING PLEDGE

Norfolk-based house builder Abel Homes has stepped forward to donate £15,000 to fund the second year of a ground-breaking project by the East Anglian Air Ambulance to improve the diagnosis of brain injuries at accident scenes – on top of a commitment which will see the firm donate £50,000 to the charity over the next three years.

The pioneering work is trialling a new device which can detect bleeding in the brain using a minimally invasive blood test taken at the scene of an incident or in a patient’s home.

Abel Homes, which is a longstanding supporter of the East Anglian Air Ambulance, also provided £11,000 to kickstart the project at the beginning of 2025, to meet the cost of the specialist equipment which detects biomarkers in the blood and can provide diagnostic results in minutes.

The study could enhance the decision-making process for clinicians and air ambulance crews worldwide, ensuring that patients are taken directly to specialist trauma centres if necessary.

“The Air Ambulance provides such a vital service that any one of us could find ourselves needing at any time, and their amazing work has saved many lives since it was founded in 2000,” said Tony Abel, chairman of Abel Homes.

“We are proud to have been supporters for many years, and to have contributed to the costs of this important piece of work.  We felt it was important to see it through, which is why we have agreed to help fund the second year of the project as well.

“East Anglian Air Ambulance is almost totally reliant on public donations, which is why we have decided to make a major three year funding commitment.”

Dr James Price, HEMS consultant and R&D lead at East Anglian Air Ambulance, said, “The BRAIN-FIRST project is a UK-first.  The blood test, obtained at the scene of an incident, helps our crew diagnose bleeding in the brain by using a handheld blood analyser to detect tiny proteins in the blood.

“This provides diagnostic results in minutes and, along with a rapid transfer to the most appropriate hospital, could help to improve outcomes for patients and ultimately save more lives.

“We are truly grateful to Abel Homes for their continued support for this ground-breaking work.”

The East Anglian Air Ambulance relies almost entirely on donations to operate its 24/7 lifesaving service across the region.  Anyone wishing to make a donation can do so at www.eaaa.org.uk.