MISSION 52 - COONAMBLE / ORANGE / COONAMBLE

This story appeared front page of the Central Western Daily, the Namoi Valley Independent, North West Magazine and Coonamble Times.

COONAMBLE COMMUNITY NURSE GETS A LIFT FROM AN ANGEL

On Thursday 29th January, the tables turned when Coonamble Community Nurse, Maureen Nairne received rather than gave help.

Having already overcome a serious heart condition, last year Maureen discovered she had breast cancer following a routine mammography. This resulted in a mastectomy and now chemotherapy for which she has to travel to Orange every three weeks. Unfortunately, Maureen's first two chemotherapy treatments resulted in severe nausea and vomiting which was made worse by the four hour journey home by road. But the road journey will now be a thing of the past, as Angel Flight has made the commitment to fly her to and from Orange, absolutely free, in a quarter of the time.

"I didn't think this sort of thing could happen to me", Maureen said. "With the help of Angel Flight, it looks as though I'm going to be home and in my own bed before I even start feeling sick. It's amazing what is happening and will make a big difference to me. I feel quite overwhelmed ".

With a grown up daughter, son and four grandchildren, Maureen has been a Community Nurse for more than seventeen years. "I'm not used to other people doing so much for me", she said. "I find it much easier to help others than to accept help, but I am very grateful and everyone has been really wonderful. There are some very special people I can't thank enough, and especially the pilot of the plane".

But the Angel Flight pilot, Michael Barnier, from Boggabri, is only too pleased to be giving Maureen a lift to and from Orange, and has a very special reason for wanting to help. "My wife, Gwenda, was treated for breast cancer ten years ago", he said. "She also had chemotherapy and I know how sick she was and can understand how Maureen must feel".

On this his first Angel Flight mission, Michael obviously has a great deal of empathy for what is happening to Maureen and is even prepared to make a 'comfort' stop if it becomes necessary. "If she's not feeling well, then I told her to just let me know and we can land in Dubbo and stay there for a while until she feels better", he said.