Flying Doctor makes heart transplant possible
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Most people identify the Flying Doctor with emergency medical services in Outback Australia. Father of four, Gary Richards, knows that without the Tasmanian Ambulance Service and the support of the Flying Doctor, his little girl, Jayne, might not be alive.
Jayne, 11, suffered from a rare, genetic heart muscle disease called cardiomyopathy. Her heart became so enlarged that it could not pump enough blood to her body, leading to symptoms of heart failure.
In 2005, Jayne fell ill and needed emergency investigative treatment at Royal Melbourne Children’s Hospital. With your help, the Tasmanian Air Ambulance Service – operated in Tasmania under a service agreement with the Flying Doctor (South Eastern Section) - flew Jayne from Launceston to Essendon to receive a life-saving heart transplant.
“I was amazed by how well the different Services worked together. They ran a really tight operation, we had such a quick departure,” Jayne’s father, Gary, said. It took just eight minutes for Jayne to be loaded onto a stretcher and into the plane.
“The flight to Melbourne was so fast. Jayne was really restless and wanted to sit-up. The Paramedic, Wayne McRae, felt her getting cold and immediately reached for a blanket to put around her. It’s an experience I’ll never forget,” said Gary.
“One of our friends told us later, with tears streaming down her face, she had seen the Flying Doctor plane that night. She said she knew Jayne was in the best of care.”
The Flying Doctor provides pilots, aircraft and engineers on contract to the Tasmanian Ambulance Service. Together, they transports patients, like Jayne, from Tasmania to mainland Australia and across the State.
Jayne’s family have now returned to Launceston after spending nearly a year living in Melbourne to help her recovery. Jayne and her sister, Nicole, who also suffered from the disease, made medical history by receiving heart transplants within six months of each other. Their father, Gary, is pleased that if they every get into trouble again, he knows the Service will be there to help.
Gary and his wife Christine are very much aware that organ donors saved the lives of their two little girls. They would like you to consider becoming an organ donor. Ring 1800 777 203 for more details. Your decision could help save the lives of children like Jayne and Nicole.
The Flying Doctor's ‘mantle of safety’ extends across more than 80% of Australia, helping people in the city as well as regional areas.