Supporter Stories

Former patient joins Hope Air advisory council to help others

Tiana Jackson is a new member of Hope Air’s advisory council and knows first-hand how important access to medical care is to Canadians. The St. John’s, Newfoundland woman has flown with Hope Air several times from 2002 to 2013 for a musculoskeletal disorder.

“Hope Air allowed us to stay in our hometown and still have the means to fly to Toronto so that I was able to receive the medical attention and treatment that I needed,” she says.

“Without Hope Air, I truly do not know how we would have afforded so many flights as we travelled back and forth from St. John’s to Toronto quite frequently for many, many years.”

By joining the Hope Air National Advisory Council, Tiana hopes to help others who are in the position she was once in.

Dean of the Northern Ontario Medical School

Dr. Verma

Dean, President and CEO

“Access to quality health care remains a critical issue for many people in Northern Ontario. Hope Air provides a needed service for many vulnerable families who must travel far from home for access to medical care without the financial burden.”

– Dr. Sarita Verma, Dean, President and CEO, Northern Ontario School of Medicine

Xuan Zhao

UBC MD candidate, Class of 2021 & Chair of UBC Run & Ride for Rural Medicine 2020

“Healthcare is far more than just the treatment of mental and physical illnesses – it includes reducing the barriers to accessing medical care so that people can live healthier and better lives. As a medical student, organizing our annual charitable run to raise money for Hope Air was my way of supporting healthcare delivery in a different but equally important way as seeing patients in the clinic.”