Andy Elwood was a helicopter paramedic – in the North Sea, amidst high seas, in freezing waters. After that, Andy volunteered to be a field medic in the Afghanistan War. In addition to his love of the adrenaline rush, it also took tremendous courage to be the heroic “dope on a rope” and the guy who rushed out of the helicopter, at times, into live gunfire and minefields to rescue severely wounded soldiers.
Years later, safely back home in the United Kingdom, Andy had a harrowing experience of a PTSD flashback during a shower which brought him right back to the face of a badly injured soldier whom he was working to save in 110 degree heat.
And now, Andy travels around the United Kingdom in an old Range Rover, talking to men about mental health.
He is one of the bravest SOBs that I’ve ever met, and he has incredible stories to share. Tune in for a few laughs, some horrific scares, a bit of disgust in terms of what he’s dealt with on the job, and relief and gratitude that such a man exists.
Andy saves lives. His approach is different, refreshing and unique. He campaigns, speaks and is a Mental Health First Aid instructor.
Andy sparks conversations which enables culture change regarding Mental Health and Wellbeing for individuals and organisations. He creates safety and trust by sharing his own vulnerability and gives a unique ‘behind the scenes’ insight into life and death situations on Search and Rescue helicopters, on the Afghanistan battlefields during military service and to the potential downward spirals due to 21st Century pressures.
Andy has a male focus and believes that mental health deserves parity with physical health. His unique approach to communicating with men is driven by the fact that men are three times more likely than women to end their life by suicide.
After 18 years working on rescue helicopters around the world, he believes that focusing on mental health will save more lives than continuing to dangle under helicopters, as a paramedic. Andy’s Search and Rescue career began with the Royal Air Force and was completed in the Coastguard, where he led Clinical Governance for half of the UK. Despite Andy’s various awards for physical courage, he believes his bravest action has been to talk openly about his own struggles and vulnerability, in order to find a way through three very different challenges during his lifetime.
Find out more at www.AndyElwood.com
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Music by: Zak Gay http://otonamimusic.com/
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