Irish paramedic follows in her grandfather’s footsteps by joining London Ambulance Service

A paramedic has followed in her grandfather’s footsteps by travelling from Ireland to work for London Ambulance Service.

Although Samantha Sanson was just 11-years-old when her granddad – John Monaghan – died, she grew up hearing how alike they were.

And just like him, Samantha left her friends and family behind in Ireland to follow her dreams in London.

She said: “I couldn’t do anything else: there’s no other job for me. To be able to help patients the way we do, you don’t get that anywhere else.

“And my nana used to say to me ‘you’re just like your granddad – this is who you are’.”

When Samantha left her home in County Meath in 2019, she stopped in to visit her grandmother to say her goodbyes while on the way to catch the ferry.

Her grandmother pushed her grandfather’s London Ambulance Service ID card into Samantha’s hands and asked her to promise to come home with her own ID.

Samantha joined the Service as Emergency Ambulance Crew. Just weeks after she started on the road, the country was in lockdown and she was at the frontline of the response to COVID.

She has since qualified as a paramedic after completing an apprenticeship and has now celebrated five years with London Ambulance Service.

The Service is very different to the one her grandfather joined back in the 1960s. Back then, John would have been an ambulance attendant and his role was to collect patients and get them straight to hospital.

Equipment was limited to a stretcher, splints, breathing apparatus and bandages.

Now paramedics are highly qualified and highly skilled and can assess and treat patients at home when appropriate.

Samantha was too young when her grandfather died to remember his stories from his days on the ambulances but she knows he was based at Ruislip Ambulance Station and had great affection for his patients and the local community.

She treasures the ID card her grandmother passed on to her but Sam wishes she knew more about his life in London.

She said: “I do know that John certainly had the Irish gift of the gab. He met my nan during his time with London Ambulance – and somehow managed to talk her into marrying him!

“She always says it was just to shut him up, but even that didn’t keep him quiet. He could chat for hours, and it seems that gift was passed down to me.

“It’s amazing how many patients relate to me the moment they hear my accent. They’ll start sharing stories about their Irish relatives or holidays, and for a little while, they forget they’re sick or in pain.

“I’m sure John had the same effect – a familiar voice, a kind word – and suddenly people felt just a little bit better. I feel so grateful to have inherited that ability.

“Being able to bring someone comfort in their worst moments is something I never take for granted.”

Earlier this month London Ambulance Service celebrated 60 years of saving lives.

Ambulance services had existed before but in 1965, nine services amalgamated to form London Ambulance Service.

To coincide with the anniversary, the London Ambulance Charity has launched a fundraising appeal to get the only wartime ambulance known to have survived the Blitz back on the road again.

Support for the appeal to repair the iconic Talbot ambulance will mean it can go on tour, bringing the rich history of ambulance services in London to life for even more people.

You can find out more about the appeal and donate here: Honouring History – London Ambulance Historical Collection