The iconic Royal Flying Doctor Service has gained vital new equipment through a donation by Toowoomba’s leading accounting and financial services firm, Power Tynan.

The firm has handed a cheque for $5,000 to RFDS Partnership Coordinator Carolyn Bowes at a brief ceremony in the firm’s head office.

“This is a wonderfully timely gift,” said Ms Bowes. “Two of our aircraft in Queensland urgently need new equipment and this will provide the funds.”

Justin Still, Executive Director at Power Tynan, handed the cheque to Ms Bowes.

“I have seen the amazing work of the Royal Flying Doctor Service first hand,” he said. “I was brought up on a cattle property near Longreach and four of my friends are alive today due to the rapid response and quality care of the RFDS.”

Each year the RFDS conducts more than 290,000 patient consultations, helping more than one person every two minutes. Although they do receive some Federal and State Government funding, they rely on fundraising initiatives and donations to help keep their aircraft flying and to purchase vital medical equipment.

“In Queensland we need to raise about $10 million each year from donations and legacies,” said Ms Bowes. “The demand for our services continues to grow each year, so these funds help purchase and medically equip our 19 aircraft so that we can deliver the finest care to the furthest corners of Queensland.

“For example, this donation will help us replace syringe pumps aboard one of the aircraft at Brisbane and one at Charleville. This vital piece of equipment needs to be replaced regularly and each syringe pump costs $2,400.

“Syringe pumps are used almost daily on our aircraft and at primary health clinics for dispensing and flow control to deliver, for example, pain relief and fluids.”

The donation came from the Power Tynan Charitable Trust and the Morgans Foundation.

As most Australians know from school history classes, The Royal Flying Doctor Service began as the dream of the Reverend John Flynn. He saw the plight of outback families when sickness or injury befell them. In May 1928 the Australian Inland Mission Aerial Medical Service (later renamed the Royal Flying Doctor Service) was opened in Cloncurry, Queensland.

Today, RFDS owns a fleet of more than 60 highly sophisticated aircraft. The Service operates 22 bases across Australia which form a strategic network to support the delivery of quality health care to regional, rural and remote areas.

“Our pilots fly the equivalent of 25 round trips to the moon every year,” said Carolyn. “Every day our doctors and flight nurses tend to about 770 people and transport more than 100 of them.

“Every private and corporate donation helps us stay in the air. We are truly grateful to the Power Tynan Charitable Trust and the Morgans Foundation.”