A major funding boost for not-for-profit charity Little Wings will support families in regional NSW with sick children to access lifesaving treatment.
Little Wings has welcomed $600,000 to help to continue to provide free air and ground transportation to medical treatment for children living in rural and remote areas. Little Wings also transport clinicians to rural and remote areas to provide health services to children in those areas.
“I am so pleased to support Little Wings in their work which is helping to ease the emotional and financial strain placed on families when they are accessing lifesaving medical treatment for a sick child.” said Minister for Health Ryan Park.
“This important service supports families living in rural, regional and remote areas of NSW to more easily attend ongoing medical appointments, and also offers a welcome break to children during their treatment, by bringing them home for some much-needed quality time with family and friends.”
In 2024/2025 Little Wings has transported 439 children from regional, rural and remote NSW to receive medical treatment, transported 64 medical specialists to rural and remote NSW who have delivered 170 clinics which have assisted an estimated 3,250 children and flown to 51 locations across rural, regional and remote NSW.
The service is also staffed 100 per cent by volunteer pilots and volunteers.
“Little Wings has been operating for 13 years, working in the background to support regional families caring for a seriously ill or injured child in accessing lifesaving medical treatment that is only available at tertiary hospital.” said Clare Pearson, CEO Little Wings.
“Little Wings is a proud and deeply grateful part of this vision, providing FREE air and ground transport for regional families, this grant will allow our team to work with urgency and to increase services in line with community needs and to ensure that children in regional NSW have the access to healthcare that they need to thrive.”
Services provided by the charity are available to eligible families living in rural, regional and remote NSW whose children are receiving treatment or support at health services including:
- Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick
- The Children’s Hospital at Westmead
- John Hunter Children’s Hospital
- Royal Far West in Manly.
Children are referred to the Little Wings service by hospital staff with consideration to the child’s medical condition, geographical location and regularity of travel.
For more information visit: https://www.littlewings.org.au/
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