John Alcock
In August 2003 Constable John Alcock, a Royalty Protection Officer with Grampian Police, was being driven to Balmoral where the Prince of Wales was due to take up residence. There were three officers in the car, John was the front-seat passenger.
The police car collided with another car coming in the opposite direction being driven by an Italian on the wrong side of the road. The Italian's car mounted the verge and landed on top of John trapping him in the police car.
Very fortunately for John, Dr John Derounian a GP from Glenlivet, was travelling in the same direction as the police car, not far behind. Another stroke of good fortune was that another GP, Dr Oliver Aldridge was travelling in the opposite direction and a short time later were joined by Dr. John Derounian's wife who had just finished her shift at Dr. Gray's Hospital where she works as a Staff Nurse. So within a very short time of the accident John was attended by two GPs and a fully qualified nurse. John's fiancee, Donna, firmly believes that this saved John's life. When she asked Dr Derounian about John's condition in the immediate aftermath of the accident, he replied quietly 'You don't want to know, Donna'.
John then spent three years in hospital, and while he received excellent care, being in a hospital environment he was subject to infection after infection including several bouts of pneumonia following a tracheotomy. Donna, their son Callum and Donna's children, Stacey and David, were in constant attendance on John. He was going downhill fast and at one point they were told that he was 'forgetting to breathe'. Members of John's family came from far and wide to be by his side.
This is where the PDT was able to provide much needed assistance. The Trust loaned the money to build an extension at John and Donna's house and paid for round-the-clock care on his return home in September 2006. He was allowed home to die and the family were advised to make arrangements for his funeral.
Once John got home and had the vital care that he needed, he slowly began to improve. There were no more infections and he now enjoys remarkable health and 'looks fantastic' according to Donna. His limbs have an excellent range of movement and although still in a coma, his awareness is definitely improving.
Legal proceedings in John's case were not concluded until March 2008, nearly two and a half years since John had returned home. Donna is convinced that if John had spent this period in hospital, he would not have survived but would have died from a hospital-contracted infection.
The PDT also loaned funds for adaptations to a Renault Trafic to facilitate John's transportation in his wheelchair. This vehicle is affectionately known in the family as 'the Goose'! The Trust also provided a holiday grant.
The Grampian Police Federation assisted Donna and the family in every possible way throughout and Donna would like to express her deepest gratitude to them. As far as the PDT is concerned Donna's message is 'You saved my fella's life'.
John and Donna Alcock.
Please pass on my thanks to the Police Dependants' Trust for their kind cheque. It really helps. Thank you.
