The monthly newsletter for friends of Angel Flight South Central
Getting Back in the Sky
Many aspects of our lives have been affected over the last several months. While Angel Flight South Central has continued to fly passengers, many medical facilities have postponed treatments or moved to virtual appointments. Only patients with no other options have continued to travel for treatment. Most of AFSC's passengers have been traveling to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX, which was ranked as the number one hospital in 2019-2020 by U.S. News & World Report's "Best Hospitals" survey. The facility focuses exclusively on curing cancer, treating more rare cancers in a single day than most physicians see in a lifetime. And, our volunteer pilots are making sure that patients have access to this specialized treatment so they can be cured.
With fewer patients flying to specialized medical facilities, Angel Flight has been expanding its humanitarian missions, including flights to help the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center (GCRBC). Since 1975, the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center has served more than 170 hospitals and health care institutions in 26 counties throughout Texas. The GCRBC regularly transports blood samples to Houston for testing and began facing some challenges when commercial airlines started reducing flights. Angel Flight South Central offered to assist with flying the samples on Saturdays and Sundays, and recently added an additional flight for Wednesdays. Larry Forney flew the first mission for GCRBC on April 11th and, since then, our pilots have flown over 13 flights to transport blood samples to Houston.
Additionally, Angel Flight South Central has been flying supplies to help rural hospitals. NW Texas Wing Leader Scott Gloyna and one of Angel Flight's newest volunteer pilots, Joel Buhrmann, have been flying face shields and other items throughout Texas. Universities, non-profit organizations like Art in Uncommon Places, and even libraries with access to 3D printers have been producing PPE's for first responders. Once produced, these organizations need help getting the items to where they are needed the most. Angel Flight pilots like Scott and Joel have stepped up to fly these missions and keep health care providers and patients safe. Read more and watch the video of Joel's mission.
As states within our region start to reopen, more and more of our regular missions will be able to take to the skies. Soon, patients whose appointments and surgeries have been delayed will once again be able to travel for specialized care. We'd like to extend a big thanks to our volunteer pilots who have continued to provide free flights, our donors for enabling us to continue our mission, and everyone who introduced us to new organizations that needed our help.
Transponder
QUICK UPDATES FROM AFSC HQ
Our 4th Annual 100 Days of Summer is right around the corner! Have you ever wondered where our volunteer pilots and passengers fly? Would you like to see how your donation directly benefits a medical or humanitarian mission? Through this campaign, you will have a rare opportunity to experience the world of Mission Coordination at Angel Flight South Central. With a donation of $50 or more during the month of June, you'll receive details about one of the routes flown by our volunteer pilots this summer. While our volunteer pilots cover the entire cost of the flight (including fuel), additional funds are needed to support the operational costs of coordinating each flight. You'll have the opportunity to see how your support impacts the lives of our passengers and volunteer pilots. Be on the lookout for additional information and a link to this campaign - coming soon!
On the Beam
Top Pilots for April
6 Missions - Scott Gloyna
5 Missions - Joel Mack
1st Mission Flown in April
Chris Ray David Ricketts Joel Buhrmann Joel Mack Robert Miles Matthews
Milestones for April
5th Mission - Joel Mack
10th Mission - Daniel Stevens