From Calgary to South Africa in 30 hours.
Just a day at work for Cochrane firefighter and paramedic Jared Wallace.
Wallace was half of a duo of paramedics that accompanied Jolene Titus and her family to Cape Town, South Africa. Having been diagnosed with terminal cancer, she wanted to make the trip back to her hometown to spend her remaining days with family.
The Titus family – and Wallace — arrived safely at their destination Sunday night (Jan. 12). Departing Jan. 11, the trip included brief stops in Iceland and Amsterdam.
“It was an unusual trip — one I won’t soon forget,” said Wallace.
Glen Tully, the chief flight paramedic with Sunwest Aviation, tended to Titus until Amsterdam, where Wallace took over as medical aid until they reached the South African hospital. Commercial airline KLM transported the group from Amsterdam to Cape Town.
Despite being administered a number of medications intravenously, Titus took the flight in stride, Wallace said.
“She was frail, but still manage to tend to her family (aboard the plane),” said Wallace, whose previous trips with Sunwest have spanned across Canada and into the United States.
Titus, 35, and her family arrived in Saskatoon, Sask. in May 2012. A family physician, Titus completed an international assessment program before settling in to a family practice in Meadow Lake, Sask.
That December, she was diagnosed with stomach cancer. After receiving treatment, symptoms returned in December 2013.
She wanted to return to South Africa with her family to spend her last days with family and loved ones, but was prohibited by the cost of the trip and medical assistance.
A colleague of Titus’ reached out to Tully, explaining the circumstances. The charter airline agreed to help the Titus family, at a discounted rate of about $150,000.
“As a professional, we always look at the logistics of transporting a patient,” said Tully. “On a personal level, you hear Jolene’s story and want to help. It’s nice to help a helper.”
With no time to fundraise, the cost of the transporting Jolene, her husband Kevin and their two children, was covered by the Saskatchewan Medical Association Benevolent Society.
It was agreed the cost would be recovered later.
An online fundraising campaign — dubbed Jolene’s Final Trip Home — has raised more than $74,000 for the benevolent fund. To make a donation visit gofundme.com/Jolene-Titus.
