This year's Aeroplan Points Matching Week in support of the Air Canada Foundation's Hospital Transportation Program began on 07OCT and will run until 13OCT 2024.
The program, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, operates on the generous donations of Aeroplan Members and Aeroplan to provide relief for families across Canada whose children need to travel for medical treatment.
Aeroplan and its partners, TD and CIBC, will be matching points donated by Aeroplan Members, resulting in a total of up to four times the initial donation to support air travel for children facing medical adversity.
Last year, Aeroplan members and its partners donated 67.7 million points to the program, with more than half of the donations coming from outside Canada.
The points were redistributed to 15 pediatric hospitals across the country, making a significant impact on the lives of many families.
The program benefits children like Benjamin.
In February 2023, Benjamin's mom noticed a bump on his back and consulted local doctors in Abitibi. They sent the family to CHU Sainte-Justine hospital, where Benjamin, 5 months old at the time, was diagnosed with a rare leukemia. After beginning chemotherapy Benjamin was allowed to go home for six days, before returning to Sainte-Justine in Montreal. The Hospital Transportation Program allowed Benjamin's family to take a one-hour flight to get back home, instead of a seven-hour car ride. Benjamin is now one-year post-bone marrow transplant and has resumed a semblance of normal life and is enjoying every moment.
Here is how the program helps children and their families access medical care:
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- Points donated go toward providing patients and a parent or guardian flights with Air Canada and its partner airlines.
- Created in 2003, the Hospital Transportation Program is marking 21 years of connecting children to the medical care they need. The program works to support the following 15 pediatric hospitals across Canada: BC Children's Hospital (BC), Alberta Children's Hospital (AB), Stollery Children's Hospital (AB), Jim Pattison Children's Hospital (SK), HSC Children's Hospital of Winnipeg (MB), Children's Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre (ON), McMaster Children's Hospital (ON), Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (ON), The Hospital for Sick Children (Ont.), Shriners Hospital for Children (QC), The Montreal Children's Hospital (QC), CHU Sainte-Justine hospital (QC), CHU de Québec (QC), IWK Health (NS), and the Janeway Children's Hospital (NL).
- In 2023, 214 children and their families were assisted with 308 flights via the Hospital Transportation Program.
- In 2023, $1.7 million and 80 million Aeroplan points were raised for the Foundation and its programs including the Hospital Transportation Program.
For further details about the Air Canada Foundation Hospital Transportation Program and its impact, please visit www.aircanada.com/foundation.
