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Children’s emergency transport scheme helps local family

Wednesday August 18, 2010

The Matheson family, Marnie, Renee, Gus, David and Piper, paid tribute to Telstra Child Flight, NETS and Wing Away after having to use the services following the birth of Gus.

One local family recently had cause to use the Telstra Child Flight service soon after their infant son was born.
David and Renee Matheson had to call on the service following the birth of their third child, Gus in Dubbo in June.
Following his delivery, baby Gus suffered a serious respiratory problem and had turned blue.
After spending the night in Dubbo Base Hospital’s Special Care Nursery, Gus was in urgent need of the intensive emergency care available only at a hospital with specialist neonatal facilities.
The decision was made to call Telstra Child Flight to airlift him to Sydney’s Royal North Shore Hospital.
Parents David and Renee were very anxious and quite nervous when he was transferred to the aircraft’s intensive care bed by the NETS (Newborn and Paediatric Emergency Transport Service) specialist clinical team.
They were however soon put at ease by the professional and caring staff.
“The support from the NETS and Telstra Child Flight staff was amazing,” Renee said.
“Gus was in the best of care and we will always appreciate the support we received.”
Dave went with Gus in the Telstra Child Flight chopper to the Royal North Shore Hospital, while Renee (who was recovering from a caesarean birth) was transferred the following day by a Wing Away plane.
Gus was admitted to the Royal North Sore intensive care unit where he spent three days.
He is now a healthy, bouncing baby boy – he has gained weight, and is off to a good start.
As there are no hospitals in rural or regional NSW with intensive care units for babies, Telstra Child Flight specialises in flying intensive emergency medical care to seriously ill babies and children in these areas, and transporting them to a specialist hospital where they can get the care they need.
The Telstra Child Flight charity provides a free service and welcomes donations.

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