Surrey girl kicked in face by a horse becomes air ambulance ambassador
Madi's family didn't realise the air ambulance operated as a charity and wanted to do all they could to help. Tap above to watch video report by Rachael Brown.
A girl seriously injured when she was kicked in the face by a horse while walking in Surrey has become one of the first young ambassadors for the air ambulance service.
Madi Roome, then aged two, was out on a lockdown walk with her dad and older brother in Claygate.
They were almost home when the horrifying accident happened and mum Jen got a panicked phone call from a friend who was nearby at the time.
"She just said, 'there's been an accident, it's Madi, you need to come, an ambulance is on its way’'," said Jen Roome.
No one witnessed Madi being kicked by the horse as dad, Alastair, was looking after older brother Finnley who had hurt his knee.
The accident happened as the horse was being walked from a nearby yard.
"The horse had kicked out somehow and hit Madi full in the face," Mrs Roome said.
"Madi was, in true Madi style, wearing one of her princess dresses; we don't know if that startled the horse. She was lying unconscious on the ground; it was not a pretty sight.
"I remember looking at her and the first thing I thought was she'd lost her two front teeth. Actually, the hoof of the horse had hit her mid-face and split her palate so that's why her teeth were apart.
"She had a huge laceration on her right eyebrow, it was almost like her eyebrow had exploded open and you could almost see her skull."
Shortly after paramedics arrived the Kent Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance was called in.
Madi was treated at the scene before the 12-minute flight to major trauma centre, St George's Hospital in Tooting.
"We were very fortunate; because of Covid [in May 2020] the roads were clear and the road ambulance was able to get to us very quickly," said Mrs Roome.
"And because there wasn't much road traffic, the air ambulance wasn't dealing with a road crash and was free to come to us.
"It was only after we got to the ER and they'd done the scans they realised the worst injuries were internal."
Madi suffered multiple facial fractures and damage to her eye. Her injuries were so severe, doctors consulted medics at other hospitals worldwide about the best way to treat her.
She has had four operations and is likely to need more as she gets older, but is well on the way to recovery.
Madi's family have been determined to help the Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey and Sussex ever since their ordeal.
"I didn't realise at that time it was a charity," said Mrs Roome.
"I just assumed it was part of the NHS service."
She said the outcome could have been "very different" if Madi had not received the quick care she did.
"KSS provide life-saving specialist critical care at the roadside and have saved thousands of lives like Madi's," she added.
"They were there for me and my family at a time when we so urgently needed help, and for that we'll be forever thankful."
Madi, now aged four, is excited at becoming one of the first young ambassadors for the charity. Her parents say they are honoured too, and also incredibly proud of their brave and resilient little girl.
Madi will help promote the charity and go to fundraising events. The family are also holding their own cycling fundraiser in Claygate in March.
The air ambulance, which operates out of Redhill Aerodrome, has to raise £15.2million a year to operate its life-saving service, and 86% of its total income comes from the generosity of supporters.