For immediate release
8 July 2008
Telstra Child Flight dear to
Wagga’s
heart
Telstra Child
Flight holds a special place in the hearts of the local community,
providing life saving assistance to those who live in Wagga and
therefore don’t have
the same access to specialist treatment and facilities as those who
reside in metropolitan areas.
The emergency helicopter service has performed a total of 20 retrievals
to the Wagga area over the past 12 months. This figure clearly highlights
the necessity and relevance of such a service for those living not
only in Wagga, but for those located in other remote or rural parts
of NSW.
Telstra Child Flight is committed to bringing the highest standard
of intensive care to critically ill and injured children and babies
in NSW and the ACT. The service remains the only emergency helicopter
transport service of its nature in the Southern Hemisphere dedicated
solely to the retrieval of kids.
Each mission undertaken carries two pilots for added safety, a medical
team of at least one doctor and one nurse and a mobile intensive
care unit specifically designed for children.
Telstra Child Flight's operational base is located at Westmead, Sydney
with each mission taking on average six hours however, it takes twice
as long to stabilise a child as it would with an adult.
Telstra Child Flight has performed an average of one mission per
day since its inception in 1989. Each mission costs between $6,000
and $15, 000 and is provided freely to families in need 24 hours
a day, seven days per week.
Telstra Child Flight CEO Cheryl Rose said, “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 like Wagga have access
to the vital lifesaving services and equipment found only in these
metropolitan hospitals.”
His mother Leonie put
him to bed, however after checking on him later on found him struggling
to breath.
“I immediately raced Seth to Yass Hospital where he was given
adrenaline and was placed on a nebulizer,” recounts Leonie.
“His condition appeared to stabilise
and we were allowed to take him home, but a couple of days later
without warning he was extremely breathless and his face began
to turn grey. I took him to the hospital again.”
Doctors advised Leonie that her son would require specialist treatment
at the pediatric unit in Canberra Hospital. Telstra Child Flight
was called to airlift Seth and his mother.
Telstra Child Flight is the only emergency helicopter service of
its kind located in the southern hemisphere solely dedicated to the
retrieval of critically ill infants and children from remote and
rural areas of NSW and the ACT.
The service aims to dramatically reduce the time it takes to transport
patients from remote areas to metropolitan hospitals which provide
specialist treatment otherwise unavailable to these families.
Seth was placed in pediatric care for treatment which he responded
to quickly. After treatment Leonie was permitted to take her son
home the following day.
“Seth is getting better and we just
wanted to say how grateful we are to Telstra Child Flight for their
assistance. They were very kind to us.”
While major sponsor Telstra provides considerable support, the organisation
relies heavily on the support and generosity of the public to assist
in making up the shortfalls of millions of dollars every year, to
ensure this lifesaving service stays in the air.
To make a donation to this vital service visit the Telstra Child
Flight website at www.telstrachildflight.org.au or phone 1800 244
531.
- Ends -
For more information, interviews or photo opportunities:
Kate Sincic
P 02 4385 2696
M 0422 619 788
E ksincic@brilliantlogic.com.au
