Steve’s Story

Keen cyclist and professional golfer Steve Barker was out for a ride on 22nd August 2016 when disaster struck.

After a fall from his bicycle, Steve was left with a severe head injury – lessened only by his trusty cycling helmet, which he still has – and multiple fractures to the rest of his body.

As our air ambulance was undergoing maintenance, Pre-hospital Care Doctor Roger Bloomer and Critical Care Paramedic Gaynor Wareham set off to the scene of the incident in one of our rapid response vehicles. Once they realised the extent of Steve’s injuries, they called for the helicopter to be dispatched once the maintenance was complete.

Steve was flown to the Royal London Hospital, where he immediately underwent life-saving brain surgery, before being transferred to the intensive care unit.

After three days in the intensive care unit and a stint on the acute care ward, Steve was allowed home to continue his recovery.

Steve said: “I owe so much to so many incredible people, but without the rapid response of Essex & Herts Air Ambulance my future would certainly be much more uncertain.”

Steve’s friends and colleagues at the Ash Valley Golf Club in Much Hadham joined together on 8th July, almost a year on from Steve’s incident. To raise funds for Essex & Herts Air Ambulance. Their charity match raised £2656.80 and they accompanied Steve and his family to present the cheque to members of the Critical Care Team at our North Weald Airbase.