SUBSEQUENT TRIP REQUEST: 41st & 42nd Angel Flight

Ford is in remission!

Six year old Ford from Deniliquin was diagnosed with Leukaemia in August of last year and needs to travel to the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne to undergo Chemotherapy on a regular basis.

This Angel flight was to take Ford and his mother Corinne to Melbourne, so that the family can avoid regular, long stays in Melbourne for Ford's treatment.

Read about a previous mission for Ford (M582)

Tony Taggart - Pilot

Emma Bristow - Earth Angel
(Emma's 7th mission)

Angel flight 1 by Tony Taggart
This is Tony's 15th mission
Previous mission for Tony - M607 AF2.

Comment by Tony
"We beat the build up and the towering CU's but even with the best of intentions and the smoothness of the ride it became a bit much for Corrine and she joined the ranks of my wife Di and had a good look inside one of my sick bags. But she promised me that it was not my flying!!!!

Young Ford was great. He even wears a Ford cap. Lucky for him that I guessed that and so I wore my Holden Dealer Team shirt. He thought that it was great. He could not wait to get to Essendon so that he could show me the gate that we go through and that he knows the combination to get back in. He would not let me go until I had gone out the gate and he let me back in again because he has remembered the code. Of course I can't tell YOU what the code is as that's a secret and then I'd have to muzzle you in case you told somebody. Anyway he is a top little fellow and I hope he responds well to his treatment."

Barrie Aarons - Pilot

Angel flight 2 by Barrie Aarons
This is Barrie's 4th mission
Previous mission for Barrie - M502 AF2.

Comment by Barrie
"At one stage I looked back and saw Ford as in the photo - I couldn't resist taking it. It was a particularly turbulent trip which didn't worry Ford too much tho' Corrine was sick. Regards, Barrie "

Corrine (mother) and Ford.

Susan Windle - Earth Angel
(Susan's 2nd mission)

Earth Angel duties performed by Susan Windle

Comment by Susan

"Corrinne and Ford departed later then expected but weather certaintly improved in the afternoon. I hope Capt Barrie and passengers had a good trip back.

Corrine was very excited to tell me and have it passed on to Angel Flight, that the hospital informed her yesterday that Ford is in remission! He will be contining treatment for sometime yet but they are very pleased with him at present.

Corinne also asked me to let you know she is expecting a new baby in January. a bit of a surprise I gather. It was great to see her again and I was so pleased to see how well Ford is looking. When I met them some months ago he was a very sick little boy. Today he has his hair back and has grown about 3 inches I'm sure. There is a light in his eyes and he is very active. Quite a handful I would think.

I have taken a couple of photos but didn't have my digital camera with me so they are on film which I will have developed asap and scan on to you.

My husband Geoff is in town when mission 650 is on so have forwarded him the mission details to see if he is interested. Geoff retires in Feb 2006 so might be available a bit next year. We have our plane (MWL) on the market at present though so we'll see what happens.

Hope I can help out again soon."