Jean Tipa

Born with an undiagnosed heart defect, Tūroa and I flew to Starship aboard the Starship Air Ambulance 7 hours after he was born. 

I remember it so vividly, the smallest aircraft Ive ever been in. My "babybag" was loaded into the wing, inside sat the pilot, 1 PICU nurse from Wellington, a CNS from Starship, Tūroa in an incubator and me in a single chair opposite the incubator beside the door. 

Without the services of the Air Ambulance I can 100% say Tūroa would not be with us today. There was no children's cardiac surgeon in Wellington at the time, a paeds doctor in the starship PICU diagnosed him after he was assessed upon arrival. He had his first medical intervention that night. 

This March, they need our help to raise funds. Tūroa and I will march 1.5km everyday during the whole month. We hope to contribute $10 for every km we stroll so if you can, please contribute to the cause!