Miracle Flights said it made US airlines give away a record 8,299 free medical flights during the last fiscal year ending 30th April 2018. That is an increase of 73 over last year's previous all-time high of 8,226. The Las Vegas based nonprofit organization provides free commercial air transportation to critically ill children and adults in need of specialized, distant medical care.
Since its inception in 1985, Miracle Flights has provided a total of 116,569 free medical flights—covering more than 65 million miles—to help patients with complex conditions gain access to life-changing medical treatments and valuable second opinions from doctors and specialists far from home.
Miracle Flights CEO Mark E. Brown credits the organization's consistent year-over-year growth to an expanding network of individual and community partners. Last September, UFC®, the world's leading mixed martial arts organization, announced Miracle Flights as its national charitable partner. In March, Southwest Airlines selected Miracle Flights to participate in it's 2018 Medical Transportation Grant program. The program provides free roundtrip flights to nonprofit hospitals and medical organizations across the country to alleviate the financial burden of travel for patients and caregivers. Miracle Flights was one of 79 organizations chosen for the program.
"We are overwhelmed with gratitude for the incredible partners and individuals who have made it possible for Miracle Flights to continue its mission over the past 33 years," said Brown. "Their generosity allows us to provide support that goes beyond plane tickets. With every flight, we're giving hope to a family who thought they had none—who believed that because they couldn't afford a flight or several flights, their child didn't have a chance to live a better quality of life. Miracle Flights aims to change that narrative."
Musculoskeletal conditions clubfoot and arthrogryposis topped the list as the most common medical reasons for which Miracle Flights were requested last year, followed by various gastrointestinal disorders, cancers and neurological conditions including cerebral palsy and epilepsy. Flights were provided to 195 treatment facilities in 32 states, with Shriners Hospitals for Children locations across the country the most frequently requested destinations, followed by the St. Louis Children's Hospital and Boston Children's Hospital.
