A dedicated group of local volunteers has raised $128,000 for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), representing their fundraising efforts with the support of the Port Lincoln community over the past year.
“Every day the RFDS lands in Port Lincoln to airlift patients to Adelaide for lifesaving surgery or specialist medical treatment,” says Kathy Irwin, President of the RFDS Port Lincoln Auxiliary.
“Those of us living in the country are all too familiar with the tyranny of distance and the importance of access to specialist care in times of medical emergency,” Mrs Irwin says.
“The RFDS provides this vital access, not to just for those of us living in on the Eyre Peninsula, but to more than 15 South Australians every day – in the outback, from the regions and in the city alike,” she says.
Since last year’s donation the RFDS has introduced to operational service the RFDS Medi-Jet 24, South Australia’s first purpose-built aeromedical jet. The $13 million aircraft was funded solely by bequests, sponsorships and donations from the community.
“We feel very humbled to have played our part with others in raising the funds for the RFDS to purchase the ultimate ‘flying intensive care unit’, capable of slashing total mission times of long-haul patient evacuations from the outback or interstate
to specialist medical care,” Mrs Irwin says.
“I extend my sincere thanks to every member of the RFDS Port Lincoln Auxiliary for their hard work and commitment, and to our local community for their on-going support of our fundraising activities. So much can be achieved when people work together for a common goal,” she says.
Mrs Irwin presented a $128,000 donation to Lindy Allchurch, Volunteer Coordinator of RFDS Central Operations, at the group’s AGM on Tuesday 22 October.
“This year’s donation takes the group’s total contribution to the Flying Doctor to more than $1 million since it began fundraising in 1986, which is a remarkable achievement,” Ms Allchurch says.
“The latest donation, like those before, will be used to help meet the shortfall in our operational funding and to finance our capital-raising program for the purchase of our ‘flying intensive care units’ – the next to arrive late this year,” Ms
Allchurch says.
“On behalf of everyone at RFDS – and the thousands of South Australians we airlift every year – we offer our heartfelt thanks for your hard work and service to your local community,” Ms Allchurch said.
Enquiries to get involved with RFDS Port Lincoln Auxiliary are always welcome. Contact Kathy Irwin, President, RFDS Port Lincoln Auxiliary, on 0427 822 175.
