CRITICAL Care Practitioner, Simon Cartwright, went the extra mile or 140.6 miles to be precise – to raise funds for the Wales Air Ambulance.
Simon, along with three other Critical Care Practitioners Caroline Arter (Caz), Ruby Thomas, and Mike Palmer work onboard the Wales Air Ambulance have raised an incredible £8,500 for the Charity.
Ironman Wales is a gruelling long-distance triathlon which consists of a 2.4-mile sea swim, a 112-mile hilly bike course and a marathon through the streets of Tenby.
Simon finished his Ironman in 12 hours and 24 minutes and was followed by fellow medic Mike Palmer at a time of 14 hours and 17 minutes.
Ironman Wales, which is renowned for being one of the toughest Ironman events in the world, sadly didn’t go to plan for Ruby and Caz.
Ruby, who had to learn to swim to take on the huge challenge, completed the swim despite the awful conditions, but was sadly pulled off the course after 80 miles into the bike ride, due to cut-off times.
Caz completed the 112-bike course but sadly missed the cut-off time by two minutes and was therefore unable to take on the marathon.
Both Ladies were eager to carry on with the ultimate challenge, but sadly the rules prevented them from continuing. Ruby and Caz cheered their fellow medics across the finish lines as they slayed the dragon!
Simon said: “It was an incredible experience; one I will never forget. The support from the public was incredible. To hear the words, ‘Simon, you are an Ironman’ is something I will cherish forever, I really am over the moon.
To have taken on this challenge alongside my colleagues is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I think all four of us are legends for taking part. Despite working 12-hour shifts, balancing our personal lives and fitting in training, we have raised an incredible amount of money for our Charity.”
The air ambulance service in Wales is delivered via a unique Third Sector and Public Sector partnership. The Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS) supplies highly skilled NHS consultants and critical care practitioners who work on board the Charity’s vehicles.
Wales Air Ambulance is consultant-led, taking hospital-standard treatments to the patient and, if required, transferring them directly to the most appropriate hospital for their illness or injury. For the patient, this can mean hours saved when compared to standard care and is proven to greatly improve survival and early recovery.
Dr Sue Barnes, Wales Air Ambulance Chief Executive said: “To set foot on the start line of an Ironman requires dedication, sacrifice and an unimaginable amount of training. We are incredibly proud of our four crew members for taking on this challenge.
“Simon completed the event in an incredible time of 12 hours and 24 minutes, and whilst he is used to working 12-hour shifts, this is a long way off his day job. We are delighted that Simon took part and that he received his Ironman medal.
“The fact that outside of his day job of saving lives he and the other medics wanted to raise money for our cause is so touching. They’ve raised over £8,000 for our Charity, which is truly incredible. We are immensely proud of all the medics for putting themselves forward to take on Ironman. To us, they are all Ironmen.”
You can show your support to Simon by donating to his JustGiving page www.justgiving.com/page/caroline-arter-1727214900215