A PICKERING teenager is raising money for the helicopter heroes who have helped her five times in the last two years.

Libby Waterton, 14, is organising a day of everyone wearing yellow - the colour of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance - at Lady Lumley's and St Joseph's, her current and former schools, on Friday, April 27.

Libby has suffered with anaphylactic shocks since the age of two but in recent years it has got worse and she has had more than 150 of them.

Anaphylaxis is a severe reaction to an allergen, which in Libby's case can happen at any time, without warning and without eating food or having medication.

Over the past two years, these shocks have required life-saving air ambulance helicopter transport on five occasions to Middlesbrough's James Cook, York and Scarborough hospitals.

As well as fundraising, Libby is appearing on a helicopter rescue TV show to raise awareness of anaphylactic shock.

She said: "I can’t remember much about the filming but I have agreed to allow them to show it so I can alert people about anaphylactic shock.

"I have seen them many times when I have visited Leeds hospital and in and around my town. I never thought they would ever come for me, but I am very grateful they have done, as I need special medication that only hospitals have.

"The YAA can give me the medication I need and get me to hospital a lot quicker. I think it’s important that people know about them and that’s why I wanted to fundraise for them to say thank you."

The anaphylactic shocks mean that Libby can only be with people that are medically-trained and can give her life-saving drugs using her epi-pen.

"I have to plan everything when I go places," she said. "My allergies are also airborne so if it's a windy day, or in the summer when the farmers are doing their fields, I have to be very careful and make sure I never forget my drugs."

Libby's mum Karen said: "I am very proud of Libby and what she is doing.

"Libby spends most weeks in hospital or at appointments all over the country but she still puts a smile on her face and carries on with her life as much as she can.

"She enjoys school and when she’s there I can relax a little knowing she has a full team at school who are medically trained. The support Lady Lumley's and Ryedale Special Families give her is amazing and allow Libby to try and enjoy her teenage years."

Yorkshire Air Ambulance serves a population of approximately five million people across four million acres. As a charity, it relies on the generosity of individuals and organisations to help save lives across the county.

To donate to this cause go to justgiving.com/fundraising/karen-waterton1