Mission 4496: Nyngan/Sydney/Nyngan

Initial Trip Request

A young girl from Nyngan in central NSW is suffering from multiple allergies and severe Eczema. She is required to attend the Sydney Children's Hospital for regular appointments and the 8 hour road journey has become too exhaustive and disruptive to a family already experiencing financial hardship.

Angel Flight Leg 1

Pilot: Flown with REX Airlines

Earth Angel: Ron & Lorraine Aitkins
(12th Angel flight)

 

 

Angel Flight Leg 2

Pilot: Tony Wheeler
(65th Angel flight)

Earth Angel: Neil Morley
(58th Angel flight)

 

 

Email from Georgia's family:
"What an amazing few days we had. First with the biggest dust storm anyone had seen; Angel Flight took the stress out of 'Now, how do we get to Sydney?'. Geoff had arranged for tickets to be waiting at Dubbo Airport for Georgia and I to fly to Sydney on a Rex Flight.

Waiting in Sydney we met Ron Atkins our Earth Angel who kindly drove us from Mascot to Ronald McDonald House, Thank you so much Ron!

The next day was the Food Challenge Allergy Clinic for Georgia at Sydney Children's Hospital at Randwick. Georgia has suffered life threatening allergies all of her life, gastrointestinal oesophageal problems and chronic asthma. Georgia has had a very restricted life and as a family our lives revolve around Georgia's ongoing wellbeing. She has had a carer with her at all times, has only ever known school via School of Distance Education. Having lived with this for 11 years and having to do the drive to Sydney each three months (or more regular, as required) is hard on a family, not only emotionally, but also financially. To keep normality at home my husband stays home with our 13 year old son, and work and school continues for them as usual, as Georgia and I go back and forth to the Sydney Children's Hospital at Randwick. Usually this is up to a 9 hour drive for Georgia and me from Nyngan to Randwick. Once in Sydney we stay at Ronald McDonald House Randwick.

Our trip to Sydney last week, medically was one of high stress levels! Georgia was scheduled for a food challenge to Wheat to see if she was still anaphylactic to this. Up until three months ago, all of her life she had had a diet free of Dairy, Wheat, Egg, Fish, Nuts, Barley, Oats, Soy, Lupin. Thanks to the experts at the Sydney Children's Hospital Allergy Clinic, they have now established she is still Anaphylactic to Wheat, Dairy, Egg and tree nuts, with problems still with dust mite, some grasses and some animal hair. Many people say "what does she eat?" Through the further testing it has allowed her diet to increase and even though she is still small for her age - she is now growing! With Georgia's visit to the Allergy Clinic last week and being fed Wheat in a controlled environment - this did lead to her having an allergic reaction to Wheat. It was the most terrifying experience for her (and me), but the positive is that the Adrenalin works when Anaphylaxis happens and the tests just highlighted the seriousness of her condition.

To add to all of this a TV program were doing a segment on food allergies so were at the clinic to film kids doing food challenges. They captured some of the moments of Georgia's allergic reaction. Hopefully parts of this will be shown on their program and will highlight the seriousness of this medical condition and help to educate others. We also told the producers of the wonderful work of Angel Flight and its volunteers.

On Friday Morning our Earth Angel Neil Morley picked us up from Ronald McDonald House to take us to Bankstown Airport. Thanks so much Neil! At Bankstown there were a film crew there to greet us and they filmed Neil happily escorting Georgia to meet Tony Wheeler our Pilot to fly us home to Nyngan. They took footage of Georgia with Tony so we are hoping that this will be used in some way to raise the profile of Angel Flight, especially in Capital Cities to give your volunteers the recognition they deserve for the great work that they do!

We had the most amazing flight home with Tony. He is such a wonderful pilot and it was such a smooth ride. We couldn't believe how quickly we were home in Nyngan! And how exciting for Georgia as this visit to Sydney was actually her first time on an aircraft! I've attached a few photos to this email, which captured things for Georgia. There is also a sad photo taken earlier this year when undergoing a nasal gastro probe at the Children's Hospital, just to show you the other side of things.

I will email Geoff if I hear when the TV program will go to air - again we may all end up on the cutting room floor but I just hope Angel Flight gets some recognition for getting us there and home safely. The show is called Sunday Night on Channel 7 on Sunday night at 6.30pm, the reporter was Dr John Darcy. It may go to air in a couple of weeks time.

Georgia has many challenges ahead. We are looking at starting her at a 'normal' school and the integration process is in place for next year, she still has daily obstacles with her food but is learning to be more independent with her medication and trying for her not to need a carer with her.

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts and our paths may again cross one day. We are back to Sydney Children's Hospital for five days in November for Georgia's follow-up appointments with her Gastroenterologist, Respiratory Physician, Speech Therapy, OT assessments and of course for another food Challenge - this time they will feed her egg to monitor her body's response to this.

THANK YOU FROM THE SALTER FAMILY OF NYNGAN"

Tony & Georgia