Many South African children miss out on specialised medical care because the doctor they need isn’t in their province; Wings and Wishes is changing that!
South Africa (07 June 2021) – Specialised medical care is vital when dealing with critically and chronically ill children, but often, these same children are unable to get the care they need. Wings and Wishes answered the call, connecting children with the specialists they need in other provinces by flying them to these destinations.
The charity’s focus was to help children deemed financially less fortunate get medical care which is not available at a local level. The charity relies solely on donations, and a recent partnership will see them helping 320 children in 2021.
FlySafair has pledged to cover the costs of 320 on-way flights over the next 10 months. This will make a massive impact on the lives of children in need of life-saving medical care.
“The tenacious determination that the Wings and Wishes team has for everything they do is one of the reasons we wanted to partner with them,” says Kirby Gordon, CMO at FlySafair. “As an operator in the travel sector that is taking longer to bounce back, we see a lot of our same fighting spirit in the NGO and we wanted to be a part of that.”
On average, the organisation funds the flights of three children and accompanying adults each day. To make the journey seem less daunting, Wings and Wishes gives young passengers a care package of goodies, including toiletries, pyjamas, essentials and activities for their hospital stay.
The commitment Wings and Wishes makes to families spans years with continued support for travel costs until the age of 18. Many of the children registered with the NGO are repeat patients who require ongoing care to overcome their condition.
“At Wings and Wishes, we are all about building relationships. Our work is based on the partnerships that we have with medical staff at the various hospitals throughout South Africa, the service providers like FlySafair who get us there, and the families that make it all worth it,” says Inge Human, Manager at Wings and Wishes.
“We are very excited about our relationship with FlySafair. Their assistance will ensure that many children get the lifesaving treatment they need,” says Human. “By sponsoring flights throughout South Africa, the airline is giving wings to children who wish to get better and lead a healthy, normal life.”
The partnership is going to change lives! If you would like to learn more about Wings and Wishes, you can check out their Facebook and website.