Accessing life-saving medical care can be a real challenge for families living in rural and regional Australia. HeartKids is dedicated to supporting families with childhood-onset heart disease (CoHD) and understands the challenges they face, especially in rural areas where specialised care is limited.
That’s why HeartKids’ partnership with Angel Flight Australia is so vital. Together, we are bridging the gap for regional families, making critical care more accessible to families and their loved ones who may otherwise face barriers to healthcare.
Angel Flight is a national charity that has been successfully operating for 21 years, transporting patients from regional, rural and remote communities into capital cities for critical medical support through our free flight and drive service. They work with a team of generous volunteer pilots and drivers to coordinate free, non-emergency flights and drives so people living remotely across Australia can access specialist medical treatments in the city.
In 2024, Angel Flight partnered with aligned charities and health-focused organisations like HeartKids to achieve a common goal of improving access to health care for people living in rural and remote parts of Australia.
HeartKids Chief of Support, Services and Impact, Tania Potts, has observed the profound difference Angel Flight has made in easing the challenges faced by families in regional South Australia.
“Over the past few years, Angel Flight has been a lifeline for HeartKids families in regional South Australia, bridging the vast distances to Adelaide for vital cardiology appointments. Families are spared long drives, overnight stays, and time apart by cutting an exhausting 8-hour road journey to just a short flight. Instead, they can be back together the same evening—easing the burden of childcare, reducing the stress of time away, and preventing the isolation so often felt by families in remote areas,” says Tania.
Angel Flight’s support extends even further, offering immense compassion to families in heartbreaking moments. For those who have lost a loved one, Angel Flight has helped them return home to the warmth of their community, surrounded by friends and family.
“There are no words to truly measure the comfort and solace this brings, but its impact is treasured beyond measure,” says Tania.
In addition to offering vital transportation, Angel Flight contributes to rural healthcare by enabling professionals and students to work in these communities and providing essential flights to and from a ‘home base’ when needed. This service helps ensure that even the most remote areas can access skilled care and the resources necessary to support local families.
We hope to continue supporting Angel Flight as they strive to make barriers obsolete for regional communities in need.
If you live in a regional or rural community and would like to learn more about how HeartKids and Angel Flight can support you to improve access to your cardiologist appointments and reduce costs and time spent travelling and away from family, contact your local HeartKids Support Coordinator (Qld, NSW/ACT, Vic/Tas, SA/NT or WA) to discuss further.
