Ed Johnston is a pilot and an integral part of Ontario’s healthcare system.
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“Just imagine how stressful it must be for a young mother of a toddler who has never been outside of her small remote community to have to travel to a big city to get the care her child needs,” Johnston, the president of the Brantford Flying Club, said. “Most of us who fly into Billy Bishop Airport know there is a tunnel that connects the airport to the mainland.
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“But she didn’t know that.”
Upon arrival, the mother, who came from Northern Ontario, didn’t know what to do so Johnston stepped in. Pulling the mother’s luggage he escorted them through the tunnel to the mainland.
“Guess what, three Porter Airlines pilots saw my Hope Air hat and came over to help with the luggage,” Johnston recalled. “That’s why I love doing this so much.
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“You get to meet some awesome people – patients and those who help them get the care they need.”
Johnston shared the store at the Give Hope Wings barbecue and fundraiser held at the Brantford Municipal Airport on Saturday. The event, held for the third time at the airport, raises money to support the work of Hope Air Charity Travel.
Hope Air provides free flights and accommodations to those who have to travel great distances to get specialized medical treatment only available in larger communities.
Jon Collins, the chief development officer for Hope Air, was at the Brantford airport for Saturday’s event and said 2023 was a busy year. Hope Air made 3,300 travel arrangements last year, more than double what the charity did in 2022.
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“It’s a complex question,” Collins said when asked for an explanation about the increase. “Part of the answer lies in awareness, more people know about us.
“There’s also the impact of COVID and inflation.”
A lot of appointments were postponed because of travel and healthcare restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic creating a backlog.
Now that the pandemic is over, the healthcare and travel sectors are stabilizing and efforts are underway to clear the backlog of medical appointments.
Meanwhile, inflation is having an impact on family budgets and more people are approaching Hope Air for assistance, Collins said.
Brantford Mayor Kevin Davis attended the barbecue and applauded the work of Hope Air.
“I love charities that take innovative approaches to fill needs that we have in our society,” Davis said. “Clearly, we have an imbalance in the access that people have to healthcare and this is a wonderful charity with a strong group of volunteers who help those who need a lot of assistance.”
The work of the pilots is another example of the many benefits the airport brings to the city, Davis said.
“This airport is part of a province-wide system of pilots who have their airplanes here and who participate in the Hope Air program,” Davis said. “They fly from here up to other areas of the province to help get people to appointments.
“It’s one of many activities that take place here at the airport and why it’s important to the community.”
Davis said work is underway to grow the airport and expand its use.
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