RESPONSIBLE TRAVELLER

Compassionate Care, Global Reach: The Mission of Angels of Flight Canada

Imagine being informed that a close family member has been suddenly rushed to hospital and needs you to get them home. This isn’t some random phone scam; this is a legitimate, urgent healthcare situation that requires you to step in and transport a bedridden hospital patient. Would you know who to call? What if your loved one was in a hospital across the country…or on the other side of the world? Would you even know where to begin?

Most people wouldn’t. Angels of Flight Canada does. Founded in 1988 in Peterborough, Ontario, Angels of Flight Canada Inc. specializes in the movement of ill and injured persons around the world. A fully Canadian-owned and operated healthcare company, Angels of Flight Canada has built up a global network of industry specialists that enables them to provide total medical flight case management, air ambulance, airline/air charter medical escorts, as well as global air medical and safety education, training and healthcare development consulting services. Angels of Flight Canada operates around the clock, 24/7, to provide clients, patients, families, and case managers with a single, reliable point of contact.

In 1986, Angels of Flight Canada was introduced to emergency flights in Canada as Intensive Care and Emergency Room Registered Nurses providing critical nursing care in Ministry of Health-operated air ambulances. These nurses’ experience and air medical certification at Seneca College led to pioneering the specialization of medical evacuation, both in Canada and around the world. Today, Angels of Flight Canada’s nurses continue to receive specialized education in air medicine and flight safety programs developed more than 35 years ago by their own flight nurse leaders and aviation specialists. As information and requirements change, so do the programs. Continuous learning is a requirement for all Angels of Flight Canada medical teams.

Angels of Flight Canada can be trusted to act as a one-stop health hub, coordinating with healthcare facilities, airlines, medical units, air ambulances, ground transport services, embassies and consulates—everything needed to make a medical flight possible.

Families dropped in this stressful predicament often become overwhelmed by the complicated process, reams of paperwork, language barriers, logistical challenges, and of course, the staggering costs—just one full-service air ambulance flight can cost as much as a modest home! Angels of Flight Canada can offer access to potential, independent financial assistance options if required.

Besides delivering loved ones home safely and efficiently, Angels of Flight Canada is committed to reducing Stranded Patient Syndrome (SPS): patients well enough to leave the hospital but who are stranded due to the lack of medical transportation. Many stranded patients have suitable accommodations waiting for them, complete with family support, if they could just get home. By calling Angels of Flight Canada, they could. With each patient moved home, one more hospital bed is opened up for the next person in need.

The vast majority of Canadians will never require the services of Angels of Flight Canada. That’s a good thing. However, if the unforeseen does occur, let Angels of Flight Canada coordinate every detail—from beds and transportation to medical support, from door to door.

For the whole story, visit: angelsofflightcanada.com

Maikuchiga Monkey Sanctuary: A Community-Driven Conservation Success Story in the Colombian Amazon

RAYE MOCIOIU

The lush, green expanse of the Colombian Amazon is filled with a dazzling array of plant and animal life. But hidden in this paradise is a growing threat: illegal hunting and trafficking of endangered species. That’s where the Maikuchiga Sanctuary comes in—this incredible foundation is dedicated to preserving the Amazon’s biodiversity, protecting its fauna and flora from the devastating impact of human greed.

But what makes Maikuchiga truly special is that it’s not just a wildlife refuge—it’s also a community-driven conservation success story. The foundation, which manages the sanctuary, recognizes that protecting the Amazon s ecosystem isn’t just about saving individual animals but preserving an entire ecological corridor vital for the planet’s balance.

To that end, Maikuchiga rescues primates and other wildlife who have been injured or confiscated from illegal traders, rehabilitates them, and releases them back into the wild. But the foundation s work goes beyond animal care— they also work to discourage the commercialization of wildlife, managing the reception, care, rehabilitation, and release of animals that have been damaged or confiscated by government authorities.

Established in 2006 by Dr. Sara Bennett, Leoncio Sánchez, and Jhon Vázquez, the Maikuchiga Foundation has achieved remarkable success working with the local people. From the beginning, the foundation focused on conservation practices, but they soon began providing ecotourism services as well. The conservation program for monkeys, which were a threatened species, served as an economic alternative to hunting, providing sustainable well-being for the entire community.

Dr. Bennett, a primatologist and founder of the Maikuchiga Foundation, ran the sanctuary in true partnership with the local community. She made sure that all employees, except herself, were from the community, and when she moved back to the United States in 2019, she handed over the reins to Jhon, one of the community leaders who had worked with her for over a decade. The community is involved in decision-making, and any funds left over after salaries and running costs are given to the community to use as they wish. Each year, the community has voted to use the funds to provide school supplies for every child in Mocagua.

What sets the Maikuchiga Foundation apart from other wildlife organizations is its deep commitment to working with locals. For more than a decade, Maikuchiga has worked with the Mocagua community in conservation and ecotourism services in the area. The foundation has many goals, including discouraging wildlife commercialization, developing regional environmental education programs and materials, and promoting fair and sustainable management of natural resources.

The Maikuchiga Foundation s work is not just about rescuing and rehabilitating animals; it’s about the impact they make on everyone. They integrate fine arts, cultural conservation, and biological conservation, train people from regional communities, and contribute to participatory participation based on traditional and scientific knowledge.

The Maikuchiga Foundation serves as a model for community-based conservation efforts. The foundation is committed to protecting the Amazon rainforest s biodiversity while providing sustainable livelihoods for the community. The sanctuary’s rehabilitation and reintegration programs for rescued animals have been successful in protecting threatened species and helping the animals return to the wild.

The Maikuchiga Sanctuary is a remarkable testament to the power of community-driven conservation efforts in preserving our planet’s precious resources.