Schoolgirl writes song for charity after paramedics save her mum’s life

A schoolgirl has written a song to raise awareness of Cornwall Air Ambulance after the charity’s paramedics saved her mum’s life multiple times.

Isla, now aged nine, became inspired by the charity’s work following a number of lifesaving interventions to help mum Carrie. She has not only raised over £5,000 for Cornwall Air Ambulance since but also wrote and put words to the beautiful song ‘Flying High’.

Carrie Grandison, age 33, who has been receiving terminal care for a rare and serious form of asthma, has made a plea that ‘Flying High’ is shared far and wide.

Isla’s grandad, Anton Mullan, is a retired former professional musician and quickly went to work on recording Isla’s work in his recording studio in Whitemoor, near St Austell.

He told us: “The song was so instinctive and natural for Isla, she did it all herself and was a way for her to cope with what was going on around her at the time. She has seen her mum being supported by the amazing team at Cornwall Air Ambulance on a few occasions and was powerfully impacted by what she saw. She wrote the words and started humming the tune to me – she has such a talent. We sat down in my music studio and pulled it together. It was as if she painted the picture, and I musically wrote it down on canvass. We’re best friends and I’m so proud of her with everything that she’s been going through.”

Mum Carrie not only has acute brittle asthma, but has conditions which mean that her immune system doesn’t work. She has had numerous blood clots and sepsis 30 times, she was given only months to live over a year ago. Carrie is now in hospital with worsening health after Cornwall Air Ambulance was tasked to her once again last month, following a very bad asthma episode which almost took her life. Carrie told us: “I’m so grateful to still be alive and that’s only down to the paramedics at Cornwall Air Ambulance.”

Speaking about Isla’s song, Carrie said: “I’m so incredibly proud of Isla and I can’t even describe it. It has turned a huge negative into a positive and given me a reason to stay alive and have a focus. It would fill me with joy if Isla’s song could be shared. I’m so very proud of her and my son Ted.”

Her dream for Isla is that the ‘Flying High’ song inspires people to donate to the charity that has helped to keep her alive.

You can support Cornwall Air Ambulance here.