Roscommon woman injured in collision urges people to support critical emergency responders
Pictured at the launch of CRITICAL charity’s Christmas campaign are Dr Paul Campbell and Roscommon woman Olivia Hunt. Olivia suffered serious injuries when she was struck by a car outside a coffee shop in Waterford in 2023 and Dr Paul Campbell who volunteers with CRITICAL was one of the first responders to arrive at the scene.
A Tulsk woman who was struck by a car as she waited outside a coffee shop in Waterford is appealing to people to donate to the CRITICAL charity and support life-saving emergency care in communities across Ireland this Christmas.
Olivia Hunt, who is originally from Ballydaly, Tulsk, suffered serious injuries in the incident in Dunmore East in June 2023.
Dr Paul Campbell who volunteers with the emergency medical charity during his spare time was one of the first responders to arrive at the scene. The Dunmore East based doctor assessed Olivia’s injuries, administered painkillers and stabilised her before she was brought to hospital.
Dr Campbell’s emergency response vehicle and equipment is provided by CRITICAL. The charity has a growing network of more than 300 volunteer responders active across Ireland including doctors and consultants equipped with vehicles and high-tech equipment; community first responder (CFR) groups; as well off-duty paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMTs). They are dispatched by the National Ambulance Service and communicate closely with the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) while on scene.
CRITICAL has launched a new Christmas campaign to light up 1,308 lights, one for every call answered in 2024. Donors can sponsor a light from now until Christmas Day in support of the charity’s life-saving work and can also dedicate it in honour or remembrance of someone special.
Olivia said: “When Paul arrived he brought a sense of calm to what was a terrifying situation. He was only a couple of hundred metres away when he got the call and took control straight away. I was in shock and had suffered multiple fractures to my pelvis and lower back but Paul brought his medical expertise, pain medication and incredible care. Paul, the paramedics and the fire crews were like my guardian angels that day. Accidents happen every single day of the week and who would you want to be there with your husband, wife or child if something happened? I want that person to have the same access to care that I had. CRITICAL is a voluntary organisation and needs our support to equip volunteers in more locations across Ireland. How special would it feel to help someone in their most vulnerable moment? CRITICAL is doing that through their first responders and emergency medical responders.”
Dr Paul Campbell said, “When I arrived on the scene that day, my priority was to get Olivia the care she needed as quickly and as safely as possible. I volunteer with CRITICAL because I’ve seen first-hand how vital this service is for people in our communities. The equipment and the vehicle I rely on are all made possible through donations. It is great to see how well Olivia is doing after her accident and would like to wish her the best for ongoing recovery. I would also like to thank Olivia and her husband Eugene for the support they give to CRITICAL. The money they have raised will help the charity’s volunteers continue to provide urgent care in the community at a time of need.”
David Tighe, Chief Executive of CRITICAL added: “We are very grateful to Olivia for deciding to tell her story. She is just one example of the thousands of people our volunteers have responded to in recent years. Our network of highly-skilled volunteers is growing across Ireland and that’s only possible thanks to fundraising and donations. So far this year, we have responded to more than 1,600 calls which is an annual increase of almost 25%. Our Christmas campaign is called ‘Every Light a Life’ and it's about celebrating our volunteers and the amazing work that they do day in, day out, 365 days a year right across the island of Ireland. One of the main reasons they volunteer is because they want to make a difference within their communities. It doesn't matter whether they are doctors like Paul or community first responders who train to respond to cardiac arrests and strokes they all have a huge impact.”
For more information or to donate to CRITICAL’s Every Light A Life campaign visit https://criticalcharity.ie/
