Kevan Taplin

For Kevan, Christmas is about family. He enjoys reflecting on the year just passed by attending Midnight Mass, getting all the family around one table and enjoying the energy of his grandchildren – a scene that will be familiar to many families. Coming out of the pandemic in December 2021, Kevan’s family were visiting him and his wife, Cynthia, and they were doing the usual Christmas preparations. Cynthia had just returned home, and their children were doing some last-minute Christmas shopping.

Kevan had suffered a mini-stroke during the pandemic. He was asymptomatic, however he had follow-up tests and two major operations. Throughout, music continued to provide him with positivity as he faced the challenges this brought. In fact, during the first procedure, he asked if his music could be played to him while he was anaesthetised. His surgeon was happy to oblige and later revealed that the music continued to play while the surgery was carried out. This was hugely uplifting for Kevan, who deeply cared about the subliminal comfort it could give him.

Later, unbeknown to Kevan, an artery in his brain started to swell, which resulted in him collapsing upstairs at home on 21 December 2021. It came out of the blue but, in the moments beforehand, he noticed that he was shaking, and his arm was flicking.

Cynthia called 999. “Kevan wasn’t making any sense; his speech was slurred, and he was drifting in and out of consciousness. Despite us living ‘in the sticks’ a First Responder was nearby and was with us in minutes, followed by a land ambulance.” She explains.

The seriousness of Kevan’s condition meant the paramedics from EEAST called for support from East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA). The Anglia One (Norwich) crew were dispatched by helicopter, while a team from the Fire Brigade arrived to cut away some of their banister in order for Kevan to be safely stretchered downstairs to the ambulance.

Anglia One landed in a field nearby. The crew was Dr Nicky and CCP Jordan.

“It is all a blur, but I can recall a doctor asking if I could hear her. I could, but I was unable to respond. My brain was swelling, and I was still in and out of consciousness.” Kevan says.

Once in the back of the ambulance, Doctor Nicky and CCP Jordan put Kevan into an induced coma in order to protect his breathing and ensure his brain received oxygen. This is one of the critical care interventions that EAAA crews can deliver at the scene of medical emergencies. This, combined with quick onward transfer to the most appropriate hospital, gives every patient treated by EAAA, like Kevan, the best possible chance of surviving and recovering a life-threatening emergency.

The crew stabilised Kevan in the land ambulance and accompanied him by road to the Norfolk and Norwich hospital for further treatment.

“I woke up in intensive care just before Christmas covered in tubes and all sorts. I spent Christmas Day in hospital where one of the auxiliary nurses dressed as an elf to bring me Christmas dinner!”

Cynthia brought Kevan’s guitar into hospital and he was able to play. Once again, his music was a constant and helped him to remain positive and focus on his recovery. He is still playing now: “My music is better than ever. I love getting lost in the moment.”

“I’m certainly more aware of my own mortality, but I am now on bonus time! I want to put back, do good and spread this around from ground level. I wouldn’t be here today, without EAAA.”

Your continued, kind support means that EAAA can attend people like Kevan experiencing life-threatening medical emergencies 24/7, all year round. Thanks to you, more people can do the things they love, with the people they love – just like Kevan, his family and his music.

Thank you for helping the music to continue to play.