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"Fantastic" is the word used by David Gallagher to describe BUMBLEair's first flight which came about when a pilot donated his time and covered the cost of the helicopter.
David's son, Keith, is a 12-year-old cancer patient who has to travel from Mayo to Our Lady's Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin for treatment.
Rather than driving for four or five hours by car, he told Taragh Loughrey-Grant that the journey took under an hour today by helicopter.
The trip began when father and son were collected in Mayo by BUMBLEance, one of the specially designed interactive ambulances for terminally ill children and they were brought to Knock airport.
Pilots Ryan Hanrahan and Paul Noctor, who volunteered their services, flew the 12-year-old with his father David from Mayo to Dublin's Weston Airport where Alan Egan facilitated their transfer to Our Lady's Hospital, Crumlin.
Thanks to our #BeeTeam @BUMBLEance for making @BUMBLEair_IRL a reality for #KingBee Keith from #Mayo now off for Chemo #LoveBUMBLEanceKIDS pic.twitter.com/FLn4wISbST
— BUMBLEance (@BUMBLEance) July 2, 201
Ryan recently contacted BUMBLEance CEO Tony Heffernan to suggest setting up the new arm of the charity after hearing of a similiar service for sick children while he was working in America.
We spoke to Tony Heffernan ahead of the flight - read the interview here.
The passengers were a little nervous before the flight left Knock airport but as David told me it was little wonder given it was Keith's first ever flight and thankfully: "When we got up in the air, everything was grand...it was very enjoyable"
He added: "Very proud to be involved in it, they're doing absolutely fantastic work."
Touch Down! Our 1st ever @BUMBLEair_IRL flight completed safely, #KingBee Keith Gallagher fm #Mayo 1st child onboard & his 1st flight also pic.twitter.com/7ZqCyYFmkN
— BUMBLEance (@BUMBLEance) July 2, 2017
Their BUMBLEance paramedic in Dublin, John, added: "These two have started the trend, now everybody would like to travel BUMBLEair style.
"Hopefully we'll be able to keep it going for other kids that may need it."
Keith’s father David, who recently lost his wife to cancer, stated that he "would be lost only for BUMBLEance, the service they provide is out of this world" who first heard of the service when Keith was diagnosed at Crumlin, he added that BUMBLEance "It’s the best thing I have ever heard off" and its "Just a relief to know I have their help".
BUMBLEance's Tony Heffernan stated that "A BUMBLEair flight significantly reduces the amount of travel time a sick child like Keith - and his father David. Not only does it free up some much-needed time, but it also doubles up as a well-deserved treat. The sick children of Ireland need to be treated like royalty and at BUMBLEance we really look after our King Bees and Queen Bees!"
BUMBLEance is a free service run by the Saoirse Foundation and today's flight was a trial-run of BUMBLEair and they hope to continue to transport sick children around the country into the future.
Watch RTÉ LifeStyle's Taragh Loughrey Grant's report in the video above. Video credit goes to Conchubhair MacLochlan from http://www.acmhainni.ie.
To find out more about Bumbleance or to donate, check out the website here.
