Because there’s no place like home
THE dramatic compromise chemotherapy causes to a person’s immunity is an experience St John’s student Teagan Ferguson, 15, knows only too well.
Receiving treatment at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead for leukaemia in the past year has meant being away from Dubbo for the better part of 12 months.
Getting ‘down time’ with family and friends would have been impossible without the support of Little Wings, a not-for-profit children’s charity providing free ongoing flight and ground transport to children and families in need.
“If we didn’t have the Little Wings service, we would not have been able to get home from Sydney. We were there for 12 months. We’re still going back and forth using Little Wings because we’re still going down for check-ups,” Teagan’s mum Sue told Dubbo Photo News.
“At times Teagan was really sick so she wasn’t allowed to drive in a car. Some days we could only get home for a couple of days before having to go back again. We were only able to come home maybe once every two months.”
Dubbo is one of Little Wings’ most frequented destinations and that is the reason the organisation will be hosting its second annual fundraising dinner here on April 7.
“The children who use our services always have a serious or chronic illness, which usually means ongoing treatment for 12 to 18 months minimum and requiring frequent visits to services in Sydney,” Little Wings CEO Richelle Koller told Dubbo Photo News.
“In 2012 the oncology unit at Westmead identified that kids in hospital for a long time in chemotherapy needed a break from treatment, and to go home, which isn’t possible on public transport due to their immunity being compromised.
“We have five volunteer pilots and 20 drivers. Hyundai help by providing vehicles. We are Nsw-focussed and can go anywhere. The Children’s Hospital refers the children to us. They have to live more than a three-hour drive from the hospital (to qualify),” Richelle said.
“The biggest thing we’d love from the Dubbo community are donations. Donations go towards the fuel of the aircraft and maintenance DUBBO Regional Council mayor Ben Shields attended Wellington Interagency’s monthly meeting telling all the community workers and volunteers that if they have any issues they need to discuss to help solve local problems, that his door is always open. of the plane. We hold or support community fundraisers where people get together as a group for trivia nights, and we have a tractor trek in the central west. It’s about the fundraising, but also awareness.
“When we were in Sydney there would have been 60 beds just in the kids’ oncology ward. By the time we left it was all new faces. There are many children in this region using the Little Wings service,” Sue said.
“We’d love to see Dubbo come for dinner and help make this our big annual event for Little Wings,” Richelle said.
“I’ve been very keen to get to know Wellington – I reckon I’m in need of a crash course in Wellington and it turns out there are no such degrees on offer, so the best thing I can do is quickly get to know the local agencies,” Cr Shields said.
“I’m impressed by the resilience
WHAT WHERE WHEN
z Raise the Wings, Little Wings Fundraiser
z Dubbo RSL Auditorium
z Saturday, April 7, 6.30pm for 7pm
z $100 per person. Includes two-course dinner, beverages, auction and entertainment provided by the Dubbo Base Hospital Band ‘Where’s Andy’.
z Tickets available through Dubbo RSL Event Centre 6882 4411
z Sponsored by Dubbo Photo News, Club Dubbo, Dubbo RSL, Macquarie Club, Sporties, WIN and Debortoli. of the Wellington locals.
“They’re very passionate about their community and work very hard to overcome any setbacks,” he said.
Cr Shields is pictured, far left, with agency members.