Hi Friends,
For single mum, Lauren, getting her son Joel to his check-up at a health specialist in Cape Town every year can be a challenge. Joel suffered complications at birth, resulting in epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and speech and learning delays among other conditions. These annual visits are critical to his health but require a 940-kilometre drive from the family’s home in Komani (Queenstown), which can be long, expensive and risky should Joel need emergency medical care.
Thanks to a partnership between FlySafair and Wings and Wishes, a non-profit organisation dedicated to transporting critically and chronically ill children to receive lifesaving medical treatment at major centres, the stress of this journey has been alleviated for both Lauren and Joel, as well as hundreds of other families facing the same travel difficulties.
“Since 2021, FlySafair has worked with Wings and Wishes to transport children, who are deemed financially less fortunate, to receive essential medical services that are not available to them at a local level. In just over three years, we have assisted 260 children on 1 821 flights across South Africa, ensuring that they can receive the care they need in time and that their flying experience is as comfortable and enjoyable as possible,” says Kirby Gordon, Chief Marketing Officer at FlySafair.
For children who are flying for the first time, volunteers meet them at the airport to assist them and provide them with a backpack of toiletries, pyjamas, a soft toy and other items to make their hospital stay more comfortable. Often, they are personally welcomed and announced on the flight by the crew, where they get to meet the captain and receive their own set of wings. The airport and hospital transfers are organised by Wings and Wishes so children can attend their appointments smoothly from landing.
“Having a sick child causes tremendous stress and anxiety for parents. The financial strain and travelling regularly to another city for treatment is sometimes too overwhelming, with children defaulting on their treatment, getting very sick and even dying as a result. We believe that transport should never be a barrier to children receiving the expert medical care that they deserve, no matter where they live. That is why our partnership with FlySafair is so important. For example, when we receive a call that an organ is available for a transplant patient, within half an hour flights are booked and a child’s life is changed forever,” says Inge Human, manager at Wings and Wishes.
This experience is something that Namhla knows too well. Her daughter Luhle was diagnosed with biliary atresia as an infant, requiring a liver transplant. Living in the Eastern Cape, and unemployed, Namhla is able to fly to Johannesburg for Luhle’s check-ups with Wings and Wishes and FlySafair.
“I often missed her appointments in Joburg as I did not have the means to travel. This impacted her health, and I was so scared that my child would die. When I think of how Wings and Wishes has helped me, I get emotional every time, and when I travel with FlySafair, it feels like I have a new family,” she says.
Similarly, Prenisha’s son Suvaan was diagnosed with acute liver failure in 2023, and when his first liver transplant failed, he underwent a second surgery. Following complications to the procedure, he was in hospital for seven months, requiring intense physiotherapy and other treatments. In between this trauma, Prenisha lost her husband last year, becoming the sole breadwinner in the family.
“Suvaan must come to Johannesburg for his checkups and procedures as there are no doctors who can assist us in Durban. Wings and Wishes and FlySafair have come to my rescue by helping us with the flights, including priority boarding so there are no delays, and making certain that Suvaan is always comfortable. The support has allowed me to focus on the monthly medical bills and allowed my son to get all the help that he needs to live,” adds Prenisha.
With its vast coverage of national routes, on-time performance and large number of flights a day, FlySafair is well-positioned to help these families in need throughout South Africa.
“Without the help of Wings and Wishes and FlySafair, my son would never be able to see his neurologist, therapists and specialists all over the country. FlySafair is the easiest, fastest, safest way to get to Bloemfontein, Johannesburg and Cape Town from where we live in White River, Mpumalanga,” says Teresa, whose son Jordan has epilepsy, spasticity and cerebral palsy, and cannot walk or be fed externally.
“Our partnership with Wings and Wishes is a clear example of how important it is to safely and reliably get our passengers to their destinations on time, every time. As we remain committed to ensuring that all South Africans can access the benefits of travel, we are proud to continue to change lives for the better,” concludes Gordon.
About FlySafair
FlySafair, Southern Africa’s leading low-cost carrier and proud Trusted Domestic Carrier for the Springboks and the Proteas, offers budget-friendly flights starting at R550* for domestic travel between nine destinations. FlySafair also operates five international routes, connecting South Africa with our African neighbours starting from R1 400*. This now includes Cape Town to Windhoek starting at just R1 800*. Since operations began in 2014, the airline has been ranked the top on-time low-cost airline in the world by Cirium. In 2023, FlySafair received five awards at the Civil Aviation Industry Awards, including Best Airline Operator/Airline, Aviation Maintenance Organisation Award: Medium – Large, and Aviation Professional presented to CEO Elmar Conradie. The airline also earned the Best Airline Award as voted by the public. FlySafair was also awarded the Skytrax Best Low-Cost Airline in Africa award in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
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