Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section) (RFDS) is seeking public help to continue to provide its vital services at a time when costs are rising, and needs are growing.
This Wednesday (April 2), the RFDS in Queensland will hold its first Giving Day.
The organisation’s Head of Fundraising and Philanthropy, Katherine Ash, said the funds raised would be particularly vital to fund new aircraft and equipment.
While the RFDS received core funding from the Federal and State Government, it needed to raise over 25 percent of its budget from donations.
“We operate in two very expensive industries – health care and aviation,” Ms Ash said.
“Health care costs are going up exponentially and we need the best people and equipment on our aircraft to care for every patient, no matter the circumstances, when flying 20,000 feet up in the sky.”
In particular, the RFDS has new aircraft currently on order that need to be fitted out as “flying intensive care units”.
“As well as emergency services, the RFDS operates services such as primary health clinics, vaccinations, mental health care, child health screenings and dental services,” Ms Ash said.
“While people in cities have access these services close by, the RFDS is regularly flying into communities where there is no other access to health care.”
Given this, the RFDS makes it viable for people to continue to live in rural and remote areas, even as they get older and become more prone to chronic disease.
The RFDS has a constant requirement for new equipment that is “light and hardy” and portable. This includes ventilators, defibrillators and ultrasound machines.
The Service flies 12,850 Queenslanders every year. Some examples include:
- When Coby Foster went into premature labour at 25 weeks while visiting Melbourne, her son, Jenson, was born weighing only 762 grams. After spending 74 days in neonatal intensive care, Jenson was finally strong enough to go home to Brisbane. However, commercial travel wasn’t an option due to his fragile condition. The RFDS stepped in, safely reuniting Coby and Jenson with the rest of their family.
- For Brisbane corporate executive Luke Baxby, a move to a remote cattle station took a terrifying turn when he was thrown from a horse during a mustering accident, suffering severe facial fractures. Stranded on a vast property 15 hours’ drive from Brisbane, Luke relied on the RFDS, who landed on a makeshift runway and flew him to hospital for urgent surgery.
Coby, Jenson, Luke and RFDS Ambassadors will be at the Giving Day HQ located on 175 Eagle Street, Brisbane between 10am – 2pm on April 2.
The event will feature interactive displays, including a medical chest, flight tracker, and aeromedical equipment, giving attendees a unique insight into the RFDS’s vital work delivering critical healthcare to remote, rural and regional Queensland communities.
The Giving Day, called “Take to the Skies” will run for 24-hours. Corporate supporters and individual donors have agreed to match public donations, meaning contributions have double the impact.
RFDS (Queensland Section) Chief Executive Officer Meredith Staib said “Take to the Skies” was an opportunity for the community to come together and make a tangible difference.
To donate or learn more, visit (https://taketotheskies.com.au/)
