Did you know that every ten minutes someone is added to the national transplant waiting list? With so many people waiting for a lifesaving match, it is crucial that the organ being donated is delivered to the person in need with the utmost care and as quickly as possible. April is National Donate Life Month, but Air Unlimited participates in the organ transportation donation process year-round.
While waiting for an organ that could be a match is one of the biggest challenges of the organ donation process, many people may not realize the right organ could become available at a moment’s notice anywhere in the country. Then the struggle becomes getting that organ to the donor in need quickly. This is where pilots like those at Air Unlimited are called into action.
The team at Air Unlimited goes above and beyond their 9 to 5 jobs to help save lives. Pilots have made themselves available at all hours of the day and night because of it. The team never knows when they might get a call saying that there was a terrible accident, and a liver is now available for the next person on the national transplant list. Co-founders Chick Gregg and Mark Neubauer know when the phone rings in the middle of the night, their quick actions could help save a life. They have jumped at the opportunity to fly wherever is needed, usually transporting a team of doctors and technicians or sometimes just transporting a cooler containing an organ on ice – the crucial piece for the patient eagerly awaiting it. The reality is grim, but the outcome can be immeasurable.
Over the years, Air Unlimited has worked closely with Florida Hospital’s Transplant Institute, regional hospitals, and other agencies to complete dozens of organ transportation flights right here in Florida. Whatever the call of duty, whether it’s flying a family to an island vacation or flying an organ to a patient in need, the pilots at Air Unlimited take pride in every single flight.