For immediate release
15 August 2008
Telstra Child Flight airlifts Gilgandra baby
A 4 day old baby girl form Gilgandra was airlifted by emergency helicopter
service Telstra Child Flight to Randwick Hospital with a severe case
of coarctation of the aorta. This is a serious condition and can
be characterised by a restricted blood flow to the body caused by
a narrow area in the patient’s aorta.
Parents Don and Sally watched as their newborn baby girl Jemima was
intubated and stabilised by the clinical team flown in by Telstra
Child Flight before departing Gilgandra for Randwick and intensive
care treatment.
Telstra Child Flight is the only emergency helicopter transport service
of its nature in the Southern Hemisphere dedicated solely to the
retrieval of kids.
Telstra Child Flight has performed an average of one mission per
day since its inception in 1989. In the North West region alone,
Telstra Child Flight have transported close to 30 children from the
area in the last 12 months.
There are only ten hospitals across NSW and the ACT that can provide
neonatal and paediatric care. All of these hospitals are located
in metropolitan areas. Telstra Child Flight ensures that critically
ill and injured children who live in remote and regional areas have
access to the vital lifesaving services and equipment found only
in these metropolitan hospitals.
Sally wished to thank the service for their role in saving little
Jemima’s life, “We can’t thank you enough, what
you did for us was amazing and we are so thankful that you exist
and were there to help our baby.”
Each mission undertaken by the organisation costs between $6,000
and $15,000 and is provided at no charge to families in need. Telstra
Child Flight is indebted to major sponsor Telstra, who along with
the generosity of the public, corporate partners and support group
members, continue to ensure that Telstra Child Flight can continue
to provide their vital service to the public, 24 hours a day, every
day of the year.”
- Ends -
For more information, interviews or photo opportunities:
Kate Sincic
P 02 4385 2696
M 0422 619 788
E ksincic@brilliantlogic.com.au
