Boston MedFlight, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that for 38 years has provided critical care medical transport to patients in need by air and ground, hosted its annual Patient Reunion on Sunday, June 11th at their headquarters at Hanscom Field in Bedford, MA. The event brought patients, family members and staff together, in many cases for the first opportunity to connect in an environment removed from the traumatic circumstances that surrounded their lifesaving transport. The reunion had not been held since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A crowd of approximately six hundred people made up of patients and family members attended the event. It was a wonderful afternoon filled with music, food, games for kids and tours of the helicopters, and ambulances used by Boston MedFlight to transport patients.
“Patients encounter our Boston MedFlight staff on what is often the worst day of their lives,” said Maura Hughes, CEO of Boston MedFlight. “The Patient Reunion can provide a degree of closure to that terrifying day. Our team really looks forward to this event to reconnect with patients in a fun, relaxed atmosphere. It is inspiring for all of us to see the positive outcomes from our efforts as an organization to care for patients in need.”
Boston MedFlight is the region’s primary provider of critical care medical transport by air and ground, caring for more than 6,500 patients annually, including the most critically ill and injured infants, children, and adults with its fleet of helicopters, critical care ground ambulances and jet. All are outfitted with state-of-the-art medical equipment and serve as mobile intensive care units, with highly trained critical care nurses and critical care paramedics. As a nonprofit, the organization provides over $7 million in free and unreimbursed care to patients in need with little or no medical insurance.
“Boston MedFlight saved my life. I am so impressed with their skill, their kindness and compassion,” said George Frongillo, of Mashpee, MA who attended the event. He was transported from Cape Cod to Boston after suffering severe cardiac arrest in March 2022. “It is not just a business – it’s their passion. It’s what this organization does day in and day out. They are amazing.”
During the organization’s 38-year history as a nonprofit organization, Boston MedFlight has become an integral part of New England’s healthcare delivery system, and a community resource for training of local healthcare professionals and first responders.
