Stories of Impact
Hope Air provides essential support for Canadians of all ages, backgrounds and medical needs. Read about the health journey for several of our patients.
Kalena
Prince George, British Columbia
Teen in remission after Hope Air helps her reach treatments over several years
Kalena was seven years old when she was diagnosed with an incurable inflammatory disease. The specialized treatments meant 18 hours of driving from Prince George to Vancouver and back every few weeks – and her mother didn’t know how they would manage.
Then the hospital staff suggested calling Hope Air so they could receive free flights to reach her specialists.
“Our experiences with Hope Air have always been amazing,” says Kalena’s mother Kathy. “We just couldn’t have done it without Hope Air.”
Since 2012, Kalena and her mother have made more than 75 trips with Hope Air and because of those vital treatments, Kalena is now in remission. Hope Air still flies her for follow-ups so she can continue to stay healthy.
Dean
Timmins, Ontario
Young boy in good health after travelling for several surgeries
Dean has spent much of his young life in the hospital and has needed to undergo multiple surgeries in Toronto – several hours from his home in Timmins.
At one point, Dean was on the verge of heart failure. Driving took hours but the cost of flying was just too expensive. Dean’s mom Keisha heard about Hope Air from a friend and reached out.
“I felt scared when I didn’t know how I would get home. You feel like no one is there to help because you’re going through so much. Hope Air has taught me that if you reach out and ask, people are willing to help you out. I don’t think any words can express how thankful we are.”
Maggin
Edmonton, Alberta
Chronic pain means Alberta woman needs to fly to medical treatments
Several years into her worsening chronic illness, Maggin found herself unable to tolerate any motion in a vehicle without suffering from pain, but to receive treatment, she needed to travel from her home in Edmonton to Vancouver – a 12-hour drive each way.
Until she heard about Hope Air offering free flights to people in need, she was unable to travel to her treatments.
“I probably wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Hope Air. Knowing some people care and are backing me up means the world to me,” says Maggin.
Over the last seven years, Maggin has had to make over 50 trips to Vancouver, an impossible feat without help from Hope Air. Maggin is hopeful that once the nerves from her neck to her lower back are better, she will only need to travel yearly.
Jayden
Kelowna, British Columbia
Hope Air relieves the stress of medical travel for young girl
When Jayden was three years old, she was first taken to a doctor in Kelowna because of stomach pain. Return visits baffled her local medical team, and she was referred to the BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver. But Jayden was far too sick to sit for an eight-hour return drive. Flying to an appointment seemed like the only option, but Jayden’s mom Debbie was struggling to pay for it. Then a friend recommended Hope Air.
“I can honestly say that I don’t know what we would have done without Hope Air in our corner,” says Debbie.
The specialists in Vancouver diagnosed Jayden with Crohn’s disease and she needed frequent infusion treatments – approximately every six weeks. Since 2016, Jayden and Debbie have continued to travel for her health.