Thanks to generous funding from Telethon, Woodside Energy and the Western Australian community, critically ill newborns across the state will benefit from safer, faster and more standardised aeromedical transfers, with new neonatal equipment to be used across the RFDS WA fleet.
Telethon funding will enable the RFDS in WA to purchase and use innovative Stryker stretchers and Cherub neonatal equipment. The equipment will ensure every RFDS base across WA will have access to the equipment to safely transport newborns requiring urgent medical care.
The RFDS in WA conducts around 200 neonatal transfers each year. The Stryker stretchers and Cherub equipment will enable standardisation across the fleet and alignment with St John WA to enhance safety during flight and improve continuity of care across services.
RFDS WA CEO Judith Barker ASM said the RFDS in WA is proud to partner with Telethon to improve health outcomes for WA families.
“This equipment will support some of our most vulnerable patients – premature and critically ill newborn babies who need urgent specialist care,” Ms Barker said.
“Thanks to Telethon, our neonatal transfer equipment will be standardised across our fleet and with St John WA, helping to ensure safer, faster care for newborns across WA.”
Woodside Acting Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer Australia Breyden Lonnie said: “We’re proud to support Telethon and the RFDS to help deliver safer, faster care for critically ill newborns across Western Australia.”
This is the seventh year the RFDS in WA has received critical funding from Telethon. Funding provided in 2024 supported neonatal transfers through the RFDS Fortescue Heli-Med Service, resulting in 35 neonatal retrievals in 2025.
Funding for this program is confirmed to continue in 2026 to continue supporting neonatal transfers in our RFDS Fortescue Heli-Med Service.
