Hope Air marks 40 years of helping patients reach medical care

Hope Air is marking 40 years of helping Canadians travel for medical care, with a focus on patients in rural, remote and underserved communities where specialized treatment may be far from home.

The charity says it has arranged more than 277,000 medical travel supports since 1986 for people in more than 700 communities across Canada. Its services can include flights, accommodation, meals and ground transportation, coordinated with partners including Uber Canada.

The organization reported providing 10,288 medical trips for patients and caregivers and 9,449 accommodation nights last year. That total included 5,110 Uber rides and 2,725 Uber Eats meals supported through Uber Canada.

Hope Air cited the case of Sawyer, a Kelowna boy with complex medical needs who required advanced surgery in Vancouver during winter. The organization helped his family travel for the procedure when driving was not an option. Information on eligibility is available through Hope Air or by calling 1-877-346-HOPE (4673).