Every day medical oxygen supplied by Air Products Healthcare helps improve the quality of life of thousands of patients across England and Wales.
Here are just some of those patient stories and case studies. Please note we have changed the names of the patients to protect their privacy.
Mary was desperate to see her brother in Spain, but her breathing difficulties meant her GP was reluctant to allow her to travel by air.
In stepped our holiday team, who offered to supply oxygen to enable her to make the journey by car. The first stage was to provide her with portable oxygen for the initial leg between Preston and Dover. We then arranged new cylinders to be available while she travelled by ferry, then throughout the eight-hour road trip. Finally our team in Spain ensured a concentrator was waiting at her brother’s house to see her through her stay in Spain.
Mary’s GP was happy with the arrangements. And as for Mary? She was quite simply “thrilled”.
Walking has been a lifelong passion for Chesterfield patient Edward. A keen rambler, he has travelled across Europe to enjoy his favourite pastime. That was until he developed a lung condition that limited the amount of exercise he could take.
No stranger to portable oxygen, Edward has been using lightweight cylinders for some time and needs oxygen at four litres per minute while out walking. Until now this has limited him to outings of just ninety minutes at a time every other day – hardly enough for such a committed walker.
Recently though, Edward has been using Air Products’ Freedom® 400 cylinder with a conserver. Now he can enjoy walks in his local forest for up to four hours at a time. He can even get out every day if he uses half his oxygen on each occasion.
Air Products nurse advisor Jenny met a delighted Edward. Asked about his experience of the equipment and the new service he replied: “Absolutely fantastic – the cat’s whiskers!”
Jenny has now recommended Edward tries liquid oxygen so he can enjoy even more benefits.
A teenage cystic fibrosis patient had the chance of a lifetime thanks in part to the Air Products Healthcare team.
Eighteen-year-old Richard from Leeds was given the opportunity by the Starlight Foundation charity to attend the premiere of Shrek the Third in London’s Leicester Square, but had been given just a few days’ notice!
Air Products nurse advisor Angela and technicians from North London pulled out all the stops to deliver a concentrator to his hotel in Marble Arch that Sunday.
Richard quite literally received red carpet treatment at the premiere and was said to have been “ecstatic”.
When new oxygen patient Wendy Rawlings from Gwent was told by her clinician that she needed medical oxygen, we were determined it would not get in the way of her planned break in the West Country.
“Our technician went to install the oxygen concentrator in Mrs Rawlings’s home and he reminded her to let us know when she was going on holiday,” said Air Products nurse advisor Sarah-Lynn.
“However, her clinician called me one Friday afternoon in April. It turned out she planned to go to Butlins in Minehead the following Monday!”
Sarah-Lynn passed the request on to Air Products’ holiday team. They immediately put the wheels in motion to arrange an urgent delivery via the regional service provider. “We normally advise patients to allow as much time as possible for holiday orders,” said Sarah-Lynn, “but it just shows you that by working together, anything is possible!”
Among the more extraordinary news items in recent times was the story of baby Andy, born three months early during a holiday flight and kept alive with a straw.
The 1lb baby was so premature he needed specialist equipment, which was not available on board. So a quick-thinking stewardess applied her medical training and used a drinking straw to blow gently into the little boy’s lungs. She then gave him mouth to mouth resuscitation and heart massage for 30 minutes while the jet diverted from Manchester to Gatwick.
Andy was then taken straight to hospital, but he wasn’t out of danger. There were fears he may have suffered brain damage and after four weeks in hospital the young lad contracted E.coli. When he was finally discharged from hospital, the family turned to Air Products to supply the medical oxygen Andy still relies upon.
The team pulled out all the stops to ensure everything was waiting for him on his return. Air Products technician Stuart installed the equipment and, at the same time, delivered portable cylinders to enable the family to get out and about.
Although still dependent on oxygen Andy is now recovering well. “The family is delighted with the service,” said Stuart, “and Andy is one lucky boy!”
When 13-year old Jenny left home in Shropshire for the start of a family holiday in Cyprus, the main thought on her mind must have been escaping for a relaxing half-term break from school in the sun.
Little did she know when she arrived at Manchester airport one Saturday that she would be greeted by a flight delay which meant she would have to wait until the following day to fly. The news would be hard enough for any excited teenager to take, but it was an extra concern for Jenny. She requires regular oxygen to manage her lung condition. Jenny’s mother had arranged for supplies to be available at her destination through our holiday service but the news of the delay meant Jenny needed oxygen delivered urgently to her airport hotel to see her through until her flight departed.
Her mother called Air Products’ Homecare Helpline, and the team contacted regional operations manager Simon Nash. Simon immediately despatched Colin, our technician on weekend call, who drove the 20 miles to the hotel with the urgent delivery.
On receiving the B10 cylinder, Jenny’s mother was overjoyed, promising to write to praise our excellent service.
“I was just glad to help,” said Colin. “It’s bad enough being delayed at the airport without having to worry about enough oxygen. As far as I know Jenny left the next day and went on to enjoy her holiday.”
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