Cambridge charity launches £40k appeal to help fly sick children for treatment

A Cambridge charity that flies sick children and adults to appointments for vital treatment has launched a campaign to raise £40,000 to fund its service for a year.

Please Take Me There has launched its Fly Me There fundraising campaign to help fund flights for sick children and their families.

The charity, which focuses on the transport needs of seriously ill children in the UK and internationally, ran a pilot programme in October where it advertised for children needing a flight to get in touch, and as a result the charity was inundated with requests.

Alex Ruczaj, marketing director for Please Take Me There, said: “In October we were able to fly more than 50 people – seriously ill children and their families – and we were able to see first-hand the difference this made. Working closely with the Cambridge Aeroclub, and volunteer pilots, we saw child after child come and be transformed by their flights with us. The letters of thanks from the families were so moving and have spurred us on even more to make this programme a permanent fixture as soon as we can. To do this we need funds – and £40,000 will enable us to fly children all over the UK for the next year.”

The charity was set up by Fernando Pinho in 2015 after his brother was diagnosed with cancer. He wanted to help children with serious conditions and after some research, realised that there was no charity specifically looking at the hidden costs of travel and transport to medical appointments.

He has since worked with World Child Cancer to help children in Myanmar and Ghana get

much-needed treatment.

In the UK, specialist treatment centres are based all over the country, and journeys for children with low immune systems can be long, arduous and expensive. By offering private flights they can get children to where they need to go quickly and easily.

Ms Ruczaj added: “We really hope we’re able to raise enough funds to run the aeroplane for a year and beyond.”