Many patients in rural communities rely on volunteer pilots, like Michael, to transport them to large medical facilities for recurring specialized treatment. Without our volunteer pilots, a lot of patients would find travel by car or lack of financial resources an additional burden in their already challenging health journey. 

Michael has helped hundreds of patients like Mason H. (age 16 – from Marlton, NJ) who has traveled on over 300 Angel Flights to treat burns that cover 87% of his body. He also assisted Maci (age 5 – from Berrien Center, MI) who travels for treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering for Neuroblastoma. The impact our volunteer pilots make on our patients and their families lives are not just immediate but for the long-term!

Be-virkat elohim, Michael and congratulations again on this amazing accomplishment! 

Warmest regards,
Fr. Larry & the AFNE Staff

The post AFNE Volunteer Michael Harbater For Completing 400 Flights appeared first on Angel Flight NE.

When Tammy spoke with Laura and heard the despair in her voice, she knew if anyone could help Laura it would be the amazing team at Angel Flight NE. Tammy’s daughter Addi, who passed away last year from a rare disease, was a frequent flyer with Angel Flight NE and often needing “miracle flights” when it came to transportation. Supporting patients and families in need is at the heart of our mission!

As soon as the mission coordinators heard from Tammy about Laura’s medical situation, they knew immediately that the network of Angel Flight NE volunteer pilots would come through. One pilot who has moved mountains in the past to assist patients in need during times of crisis – AFNE Volunteer Pilot Charlie T. – stepped up immediately to help.

Tammy shared:
After the physical therapist in the hospital wrapped Laura’s walker handles in pink foam and someone painted her toes red, she immediately said “I know Addi is with me!”

Addi’s amazing spirit and presence was felt throughout Laura’s entire Angel Flight especially when AFNE Volunteer Pilot, Charlie came through for Laura with a workable solution via air transportation.

During her flight home, Laura not only wore pink to honor Addi during her flight, but also was carrying Addi and her daughter Nicole’s spiritual card for comfort and support.

We are always so grateful to our volunteer pilots for generously donating their time, fuel, planes and compassion to ensure that transportation is available for our patients especially during this time of crisis. As with all of our patients, Laura is forever a part of our Angel Flight NE family.

Mission/Flight requests – like Laura’s – happen daily and we are privileged to have the opportunity to not only fly, but deeply care for all who turn to us for help at difficult times in their lives. As with all of our patients, we are here for Laura for as long and as often as she needs our help and to ensure the best possible outcome.

Thank You and God Bless You for your support and belief in our healing mission.

With your help and belief in our mission, we can ensure that distance is never an obstacle for patients, like Laura.

Warmest regards,
Fr. Larry & the AFNE Staff

The post AFNE Volunteer Pilot Supports Patient with Transportation from FL to VT appeared first on Angel Flight NE.

Thomas is currently battling a metastatic cancer diagnosis which is never the type of news anyone wants to hear, but we could tell the couple was delighted with their amazing volunteer pilot and flight. Cyndee had never been in a small plane before and shared that it was so exhilarating that she couldn’t wait to have the opportunity again!

Our pilots not only deeply care for our patients, but they provide a brief respite from worry with the travel portion of their trip taken care of. Volunteer Pilot, George, based at LWM, was in Bangor, ME at 7AM to meet the couple to make sure they reached their appointment on time. And for the return, Volunteer Pilot, Fred, who recently surpassed his 700th flight – flew them home.

A quick note of thanks from Tom:
We are always so grateful to our volunteer pilots for generously donating their time, fuel, planes and compassion! We are also lucky to have volunteers on the ground who ensure that ground mobility is available for our patients.

We continue to closely work with the Maine Cancer Foundation to support Maine Cancer Patients who need to travel for critical appointments. With their help, we are supporting patients who otherwise might not have the ability to get to their appointments.

As with all of our patients and their family members, Thomas and Cyndee are forever a part of our Angel Flight NE family. Mission/Flight requests – like his – happen daily and we are privileged to have the opportunity to not only fly but deeply care for all who turn to us for help at difficult times in their lives. Thank You and God Bless You for your support and belief in our healing mission. With your help and belief in our mission, we can ensure that distance is never an obstacle for patients, like Thomas.

Warmest regards,
Fr. Larry & the AFNE Staff

The post Maine Cancer Patient Supported with Free Air Transportation to Boston appeared first on Angel Flight NE.

Bow (age 4) suffers from Coat’s disease that caused retinal detachment and he was required to travel to meet with a specialist. Due to weather, Bow’s trip to Boston had been cancelled twice before it was finally flown in February. Many of our families don’t have the means to travel without the support of Angel Flight NE!

Last month, with the help of two of our amazing volunteer Angel Flight NE Pilots – Ed T. (flown nearly 50 flights since 2018) and Tom P. (volunteered for nearly 40 flights since 2021) – Bow was delivered to his appointment at Boston Children’s safely.

With the generous help of the Alexion Charitable Foundation with a grant dedicated to patients with rare and ultra-rare disease, we had the ability to support the family with both hotel and ground accommodations.

Mission/Flight requests, like Bow’s, happen daily and we are privileged to have the opportunity to not only fly but deeply care for all who turn to us for help at difficult times in their lives. As with all of our patients, we are here for Bow and his family for as long and as often as he needs our help and to ensure the best possible outcome.

Thank You and God Bless You for your support and belief in our healing mission.

With your help and belief in our mission, we can ensure that distance is never an obstacle for patients, like Bow.

Warmest regards,
Fr. Larry & the AFNE Staff

The post Vermont 4 Year Old Able to Access Specialist in Boston for Rare Disease appeared first on Angel Flight NE.

Leanne, a single mother, adopted Cristina from Peru and was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy when Cristina was only 15 months old. Any diagnosis can be scary, but as a single mother of a newly adopted child, Leanne was not sure how she would get the specialized care she needed in Boston, MA to ensure she could slow down the progression of her diagnosis. Leanne learned about Angel Flight NE’s mission and our ability to assist patients with free air transportation – fondly referring to our assistance as  “angel from above”.

Angel Flight NE has had the honor to work with Leanne and Cristina since 2011 by coordinating nearly 100 flights of healing and hope. Given the distance, the fights are broken up into three separate Angel Flights. Their most recent flight was accomplished by AFNE Volunteer Pilot, Bryan W., pictured above, who flew the entire trip! Our volunteer pilots are just so amazing – we are very blessed to have them there to support our patients and their families!

In addition to Leanne’s Cerebral Palsy, Cristina also has a rare health condition, but turns to her amazing artistic capabilities and passion for life to inspire others daily . If you’d like to learn more about her journey & her beautiful artwork – please visit her page: https://abrighterway-cristina.org/about..

Mission/Flight requests – like Leanne’s – happen daily and we are privileged to have the opportunity to not only fly but deeply care for all who turn to us for help at difficult times in their lives. As with all of our patients, we are here for Leanne & Cristina for as long and as often as she needs our help and to ensure the best possible outcome.

Thank You and God Bless You for your support and belief in our healing mission. With your help and belief in our mission, we can ensure that distance is never an obstacle for patients, like Leanne.

Warmest regards,
Fr. Larry & the AFNE Staff

The post AFNE Assists Patients 10+ Years with Free Air Transportation appeared first on Angel Flight NE.

Shakeel will be presented his award on June 9th at the Endeavor Awards being held at the Samuel Oschin Pavilion, California Science Center in Los Angeles – Under the Space Shuttle Endeavour.

Click HERE if you would like to learn more about the event and view the event website.

Most recently, Shakeel ‘s compassion & commitment to Angel Flight NE’s mission to ensure that distance is never an obstacle for patients to access medical care was featured in an article published in Maine’s Courier-Gazette.

Congratulations Shakeel!

The post AFNE Volunteer Pilot to Receive 2023 Endeavor Award appeared first on Angel Flight NE.

Shakeel is one of those amazing pilots who brings so much hope, joy and support to the patients and families that he flies for Angel Flight NE.

Recently, the Courier-Gazette of Maine recognized Shakeel’s amazing contributions to those in need within an article – Local pilot pays it forward to help those in need.

The post Volunteer Pilot from Maine Recognized in Courier-Gazette Article appeared first on Angel Flight NE.

Our Thankful Thursday Newsletter on February 2, 2023 was dedicated to the healthcare journey of 4 year old Brittany from South Hadley, MA.

When Brittney had an ear ache last February that would not go away, her parents booked a sick visit and brought her to the doctor thinking she had an ear infection.  After an exam, it was discovered that Brittany did not have an ear infection but was presenting symptoms of something more serious. After more testing, it was discovered she has cancer which had metastasized.

To care for Brittney’s illness which requires frequent visits to the hospital and traveling out of state for specialized cancer care, both her parents are unable to work. So when our Mission Coordination Team at Angel Flight NE told her parents we could help, it was a blessing in so many ways. Last month, we had the privilege of supporting Brittney and her parents with free air transportation so they could travel via JetBlue from Boston to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for a critical consultation with a specialist.

Earlier this week, Brittney entered a second cycle of a new chemotherapy protocol and will have an MRI to see how her treatment is working. Brittney will need continued support as she travels for more treatments, and we have assured her parents that Angel Flight NE will be here to assist them for as long and as often as they need our help.

This is just one example of how our mission with the support of our amazing volunteer pilots and corporate partners, along with you, is making a difference in the lives of our patients and their families. We are truly blessed!

All of our sponsors are absolutely amazing including our commercial aviation partners – JetBlue and Cape Air. They not only generously donate unlimited seats on their aircraft but embrace our patients and families with love and support. For those patients diagnoses with a rare disease such as Brittney’s, the Alexion Charitable Foundation is here to help. And with the support and help Hasbro, we ae able to send along some extra joy with unlimited toys to provide to the children we fly including Mr. Aviation Potato Head.

Please keep beautiful Brittney and her family in your prayers. As with all our patients, they will forever be a part of the Angel Flight NE family. Mission/Flight requests – like Brittney’s – are requested daily and we are blessed to be here for them especially during the crisis they are currently facing.

Thank You and God Bless You for your support and belief in our healing mission.

With your help and belief in our mission, we are able to ensure that distance is never an obstacle for patients, like Brittney, to access the specialized medical care she needs. Please know I continue to pray for you and your loved ones – Angel Flight NE is here to help you in any way possible. We continue to provide our services to children and adults who need to access life-saving medical care before, during & after treatment.

Warmest regards,
Fr. Larry & the AFNE Staff

The post Child with Cancer Transported from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania for Treatment appeared first on Angel Flight NE.

The picture above was taken after Jim had dropped off Tim & Candy safely at Sloan Kettering for a month of treatment. The picture shows a lone set of footprints – these footprints were taken by our pilot who had spent the day serving our patient, coming home after dark & in the snow.

We featured Tim in our 2022 Evening of Angels Gala video – if you have a moment, please watch Tim and other patients’ talk about their healthcare journey and how Angel Flight NE is bridging the gap between distance and life-saving medical care. Tim’s flight with Jim was his 72nd Angel Flight which is made possible with the help from pilots like him and your support. Our mission has given Tim and Candy the best gift imaginable – time.

Tim will have follow-up appointments and we are all rallying around him to send positive thoughts for his treatment. We feel so blessed to be part of his journey!

Mission/Flight requests – like Tim’s – happen daily and we are privileged to have the opportunity to not only fly but deeply care for all who turn to us for help at difficult times in their lives. As with all of our patients, we are here for Tim for as long and as often as he needs our help and to ensure the best possible outcome.

We are here for Tim and Candy for as long and as often as they need our help and to ensure the best possible outcome.

Thank You and God Bless You for your support and belief in our healing mission. With your help and belief in our mission, we are able to ensure that distance is never an obstacle for patients, like Tim.

Warmest regards,
Fr. Larry & the AFNE Staff

The post AFNE Volunteer Pilot Blessed with Heaven’s Snow During Angel Flight appeared first on Angel Flight NE.

I would like you to meet Eric, a wonderful man from Milton, VT required to travel to Dana Farber for treatment. Eric is treated for a blood cancer that will require a transplant in the next couple months; the transplant has mandatory follow ups & as little exposure as possible to outside factors.

Luckily, Eric was referred to Angel Flight NE through Dana Farber when faced with the troubling task of driving 10+ hours round-trip. Since October of last year – we have coordinated twelve trips for Eric & Chrissy to travel to treatment.

Eric’s wife, Chrissy, shared the following:
“Driving from northern Vermont to multiple cancer treatments in Boston adds massive stress and exhaustion to an already difficult time for a family with a cancer patient. Angel Flight NE has quite literally come to our rescue several times with transportation to and from appointments.

Everyone at Angel Flight NE, from the mission coordinators to the pilots and earth angels, have been a blessing. They are patient, kind, generous, and always in good spirits. We are beyond thankful for everyone who plays a role in making Angel Flight NE’s mission happen.”

We are always so grateful to our volunteer pilots for generously donating their time, fuel, planes and compassion and the Maine Cancer Foundation who has been partnering with Angel Flight NE for over 4 years now to ensure that the cost of travel is never a hurdle to appropriate treatment.  Transformational missions, like Eric’s, are truly uplifting and inspiring much like the exquisite pictures captured during Eric’s most recent Angel Flight shown to the right.

As with all of our patients, Eric is forever a part of the our Angel Flight NE family. Mission/Flight requests – like Eric’s – happen daily and we are privileged to have the opportunity to not only fly but deeply care for all who turn to us for help at difficult times in their lives.

We are here for Eric & Chrissy for as long and as often as they need our help and to ensure the best possible outcome.

Thank You and God Bless You for your support and belief in our healing mission. With your help and belief in our mission, we are able to ensure that distance is never an obstacle for patients, like Eric.

Warmest regards,
Fr. Larry & the AFNE Staff

The post VT Resident Transported to Dana Farber Boston for Vital Cancer Care appeared first on Angel Flight NE.