For the past several months, the research for Different Dream Parenting: A Practical Guide to Raising a Child with Special Needs has been all-consuming. It’s also been very exciting to unearth resources that support parents caring for kids with special needs. Tempting as it is to hold those resources close to my chest until the book is published, I just can’t do it. Not when parents need them right now.

Free Air Travel for Medical Needs of Fragile Children

If you’re the parent of a child who has to travel long distances for medical appointments and treatment, you know how expensive travel can be. One of the nicest surprises I stumbled upon while researching travel assistance was the number of organizations that provide free air travel for medical needs of fragile children. Here they are:

• The Air Care Alliance – www.aircareall.org, 888 260-9707
• The Air Charity Network – www.aircharitynetwork.org,  877-621-7177
• Angel Flight – www.angelflightmidatlantic.org, 800-296-3797
• Corporate Angel Network – www.corpangelnetwork.org, 866-328-1313 (for children with cancer)
• Hope Air – www.hopeair.org, 877-346-4673 (Canada only)
• Mercy Medical Airlift – www.mercymedical.org, 800-296-1217
• National Patient Travel Center – www.patienttravel.org, 800-296-1217

Call the Airlines to Inquire about Free Air Travel for Medical Needs of Fragile Children

If those organizations can’t help you, start calling major airlines. Several have programs where customers donate frequent flier miles to provide free medical transportation.

Other Organizations?

If you are familiar with other travel assistance programs, for either air or land transportation, please leave a comment.

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