Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA Doug Clovechok welcomes funding but urges more action on rural health care

The B.C. government is providing $300,000 to support Angel Flight East Kootenay (AFEK).

The province May 9 announced it supporting East Kootenay residents so they can access non-emergency medical services and treatment centres in Kelowna by investing in the volunteer-led charitable organization that provides flights at no cost to residents, including cancer patients and children with a care giver.

The funding is a part of a pilot project to support AFEK and will help cover the organization’s increasing long-term operating costs.

“Ensuring everyone living in B.C. receives the health care they deserve is a team effort, and that’s why we continue to work with partners like AFEK who make it easier for patients to access care throughout the East Kootenays by removing obstacles associated with travel,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health.

“I’d also like to recognize MLA (Doug) Clovechuk and the Regional District of East Kootenay for their ongoing support towards this initiative and those who worked so hard to promote the important work AFEK does. Our government remains committed to putting people first and we appreciate AFEK for helping us in that endeavour.”

While welcoming the funding as a much-needed boost for rural health care in the Kootenays, BC United MLA Clovechok criticized the NDP government for failing to address the broader lack of health care resources in the region.

“Angel Flight East Kootenay plays a vital role in bridging the gaps in health care access for rural residents, and I’m grateful for this new funding that will help them continue their important work,” he said.

“However, we can’t ignore the fact that this funding is a mere Band-Aid solution to the much deeper problem of underfunded and understaffed health care facilities in our communities. We need more resources and better access to care, and we need them now.”

Clovechok noted that the Regional District of East Kootenay had already pledged $100,000 per year for five years to support Angel Flight East Kootenay’s purchase of a new plane, and that he and Area F Director Susan Clovechok had met with Minister of Health Adrian Dix last October to advocate for further funding. While he appreciated the government’s response to those efforts, Clovechok argued that more is needed to be done to address the root causes of rural health care disparities.

“I’m proud of the work that Angel Flight East Kootenay does, and I know founder Brent Bidston (pictured above)  and his team make a real difference in people’s lives,” Clovechok added. “But we can’t rely on volunteers and charity to solve the health care crisis in our communities. We need the government to step up and provide the resources and support that our residents deserve.”

Pete Bourke, Chair of Angel Flight East Kootenay, expressed gratitude for the new funding and the support of local and provincial officials. “We are very grateful for this recognition and support that will help residents in our communities to access the care they need and to support the costs of the work we do,” he said. “We are appreciative of the support of the Regional District of East Kootenay, and our local and provincial elected officials for their role in helping our organization.”

“The Cessna 414A plane has made a huge impact by making our flights as safe and reliable as any carrier. In its first year of operations, we didn’t cancel a single flight due to weather,” said Brent Bidston, founder and board vice-chair, AFEK. “With support from the Province, we can improve the stability of our organization as well as increase our operating capacity, so more people in the East Kootenay area can access the health services they need with fewer obstacles.”

Here is just one story of many that illustrates the valuable work that Angel Flight performs.

“I can’t even express my gratitude in words! Brent flew from Sparwood airport to Golden, to pick up me and my four-year-old son, heading for Kelowna, where he had to be seen by the oncologist. Our flight was safe and smooth. Brent even arranged the taxi to Kelowna hospital for us. If there wasn’t Angel Flight East Kootenay, this was going to be a nine-hour car drive and an overnight for me and my 4-year-old boy, who is in Leukemia treatment. This way we left Golden at 9 a.m. and were safely back home by 4 p.m. They are sacrificing their spare time to make this possible, which is simply incredible!  We in these remote communities appreciate it so much,” shared Kat from Golden.

In 2022, Angel Flight purchased an aircraft to reduce the possibility of weather-related flight cancelations and missed appointments. The number of patients flown grew from 110 in 2021 to 570 in 2022. The province’s grant will support aircraft upgrades, maintenance and repairs, as well as annual programming and operations.

“We are looking to help improve the lives of rural and remote people in British Columbia by attaining enhanced access to health-care services,” said Jennifer Rice, Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Health. “It is crucial to help patients from rural and remote communities get to health appointments not available in their home communities. That’s why our government remains committed to supporting organizations like Angel Flight East Kootenay that help improve access to health care in B.C.”

Visit Angel Flight East Kootenay’s website to learn more about the volunteer pilots, ground crew, aircraft, flight bookings, and find more testimonials from families who have benefitted from this important service. For additional media inquiries, please contact Brent Bidston, Founder and Vice-Chair of Angel Flight East Kootenay, at [email protected]  or (250) 430-1188.

Photo submitted

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