CareFlight Hangar transforms into ballroom to raise lifesaving funds

On August 21, CareFlight is inviting the community to take a rare glimpse behind closed doors in what is a fully operational hangar for the organisation’s 2021 Sunshine Club Hangar Ball.

CareFlight is inviting the community to take a rare glimpse behind closed doors in what is a fully operational hangar for the organisation’s 2021 Sunshine Club Hangar Ball.

ON August 21, CareFlight is inviting the community to take a rare glimpse behind closed doors in what is a fully operational hangar for the organisation’s 2021 Sunshine Club Hangar Ball.

The CareFlight Hangar at Darwin International Airport will be transformed into a ballroom for the evening to raise lifesaving funds.

“Every year we fundraise $1million to keep the Northern Territory’s only medical rescue helicopter flying to Territorians in need,” CareFlight General Manager Philip Roberts explains.

“Our Hangar Ball is our biggest annual fundraising event helping us reach that goal.”

CareFlight treats and transports 20 Territorians every day.

The CareFlight Hangar will become ‘The Sunshine Club’, the birthplace of the culturally rich and diverse music and dance scene of Darwin during the 1950s. Charlie King and Amy Hetherington will host the evening as guests enjoy a three-course meal and music from Darwin Rondalla and The Mystics.

Local Territory businesses have rallied behind the organisation donating prizes that will be auctioned off on the night.

A $20,000 custom made 18ct yellow gold, pink and white diamond pearl necklace is up for grabs, generously donated by Hoskings Jewellers NT.

Hoskings Jewellers NT have donated this $20,000 necklace for CareFlight to auction off.

“At a time where there’s been snap lockdowns and a lot of uncertainty we really are so grateful for all the support we receive from local businesses and the NT community,” Philip Roberts said.

“Our patient numbers have increased by 20% compared to this time last year and our staff are working hard to ensure Territorians have uninterrupted access to emergency care, so we need all the support we can get.”

The money raised at the event will help CareFlight continue to save lives, like Baby William Francis who went into heart failure at just five-weeks-old.

Five-week-old baby William Francis was flown to Royal Darwin Hospital with CareFlight after he went into sudden heart failure.

“Our little boy wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for CareFlight and the team at Royal Darwin Hopsital and the Royal Children’s Hospital,” William’s mum Sharzha Parker explained.

“It was touch and go for a while there. It was traumatic, he had suddenly gone into severe heart failure and we didn’t know if he was going to survive,” she said.

In early 2020, William presented to the Belyuen health clinic with a rare, unstable heart rhythm. His body was beginning to shut down. He was quickly transported to Royal Darwin Hospital by CareFlight.

The Paediatric, Intensive Care Unit, and Emergency Department teams at Royal Darwin Hospital worked together through the night and all day to stabilise William and prepare him for a CareFlight jet transfer to the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne.

Baby William visits the CareFlight Hangar to thank his rescuers.

“I can’t explain the relief I felt when I was told he’d made it,” Sharzha Parker said.

“To all of the team, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

Sunshine Club Hangar Ball tickets can be purchased at: https://events.humanitix.com/careflight-sunshine-club

Raffle tickets for the diamond and pearl necklace can be purchased at: https://www.rafflelink.com.au/ntpendantraffle21

CareFlight is the primary aeromedical, search and rescue service in the Northern Territory delivering a broad range of services including emergency, rescue and patient care and transport.

CareFlight treats and transports 20 Territorians every day.