The Australian Civil Air Patrol Dons Angel Wings

The Australian Civil Air Patrol (‘AusCAP’), a volunteer organisation in itself, conducted its first Angel Flight mission. Pilot Jason Cook and co-pilot David Adkins flew out of Young in AusCAP’s Partenavia P-68B aircraft carrying seven-year-old Channae Scott and her mother Louise to Sydney’s Bankstown Airport, their third Angel flight. 

The purpose of this very special flight was to provide relief from the stresses and strains of what would have been a long and tiring journey for Channae, who is fighting a battle with Leukaemia.

After being diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia in September last year, Channae and her mother Louise made regular trips by road to the Sydney Children’s Hospital for chemotherapy treatment.

As a single parent family with minimal resources they relied on Channae’s grandfather to drive them to and from Sydney. However this started to prove difficult, especially for Channae who was finding the long and tiring road journey both physically and emotionally exhausting.  

"I luv ya mum."

"Shall we dance?"

"How about the winner shouting an ice cream?"

But all this has now changed with Channae and her mother being flown to and from Sydney by volunteer Angel Flight pilots.

Louise said that she has been on a bit of an emotional roller coaster since September and has had to learn to just live day-by-day.

“It all started when Channae complained about having a sore ankle,” she said.

“At first I thought she’d sprained it and I was told it was probably just growing pains but it then got to the stage where she could hardly walk and I can remember thinking that I would just die if it was Leukaemia. I still don’t know why I thought that”.

Louise said that it was almost eight weeks after Channae had first complained about having bone pain that she was taken to Canberra and then to Sydney where she was diagnosed with Leukaemia.  

“I was absolutely devastated and heart-broken for her and still feel like that because I don’t know what to expect. After her first treatment with chemotherapy she was really ill and couldn’t even get out of her wheelchair and on top of that she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.  All of this means that we have good and bad days but I just have to get through it,” she said.

Louise said that at first Channae got quite depressed because she didn’t understand why she had to have needles that hurt her.  

“I was advised to be honest with her so I told her what was happening and that everyone was trying to help her. At the moment she’s doing quite well because her blood counts are up and now her mind has been taken off her illness because she’s excited about her next Angel flight,” Louise said.

“Travelling by air is so much better for Channae and I really don’t know what I would have done without the help of Angel Flight.  The pilots are really special to dedicate their time to help people like us.  We are ever so grateful and I know that others who have used this service also think they are wonderful."

Read about a previous flight for Channae (M236).
This story appearing in the Sunday Telegraph.

Jason Cook - Pilot


David Adkins - Co-pilot

Ian Dagger - Earth Angel
(Ian's 21st mission)

Angel flight 1 by Jason Cook of the Australian Civil Air Patrol
First mission for Jason and AusCAP.

Comment by David Adkins
“The Australian Civil Air Patrol became involved in the Angel Flight Program as missions like this for Channae fall into our soul purpose, “Serving the Nation”. What a wonderful way to relieve suffering and stress by applying our skills and resources to serve the community in which we all live. We are proud of our involvement with Angel Flight and will continue to support its mission.”
David Adkins, Vice President of AusCAP.

Jason and David agreeing on the flight plan.

Earth Angel Ian Dagger transported Louise and Channae from Bankstown to Ronald McDonald House at Randwick. This was the third time Ian has conducted the ground transportation for Louise and Channae.

Phil Burke - Pilot

Bryan Padwick - Earth Angel
(Bryan's 11th mission)

Angel Flight 2 by Phil Burke
Previous mission for Phil - M252 AF1.

Comment by Bryan: “Helping out was great.  The weather was very ‘iffy’ and I am glad everything went okay."