Join Aeroplan and its Partners in Helping Children and their Families Flying for Essential Hospital Care

The Voice of Canada News:

Aeroplan’s yearly Points Matching Week in support of the Air Canada Foundation’s Hospital Transportation Program begins today and will run until Oct. 8, 2023. This year marks the 20^th anniversary of the Hospital Transportation Program which has operated on the generous donations of Aeroplan members and Aeroplan to provide relief for families across Canada whose children need to travel for medical treatment. All Aeroplan points go directly to 15 pediatric hospitals nationwide to support their young patients’ need for care not offered in their community.

“I can’t believe the Hospital Transportation Program is celebrating its 20^th year! Aeroplan members show us every year how deeply they care for this program and so we’re happy to hear that in celebration of  it’s 20^th year, Aeroplan will be by matching member donations up to 20 million points” said Adam Starkman, President & CEO of Canada’s Children’s Hospital Foundations.

To mark the Hospital Transportation Program’s 20^th anniversary milestone and collectively make an even greater difference in the lives of children across Canada, Aeroplan will be matching member donations up to 20 million points. For the first time, Aeroplan partners TD, CIBC and Avis Budget Group will additionally be matching points donated – up to a combined five times Aeroplan member donations – significantly multiplying the effect of member donations, to make an even more impactful difference for children and families traveling long distances to reach medical care.

“As a mother myself, nothing is more important than the health of our children and getting them critical medical care when it is required. As a Foundation serving the health and wellbeing of children, we are grateful for generosity of Aeroplan and Aeroplan members. Their invaluable contributions make a real difference in helping children get the care they need – care that is sometimes thousands of kilometers away from home,” said Valérie Durand, spokesperson for the Air Canada Foundation. “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Aeroplan Members for their donations, and to Aeroplan, TD, CIBC and the Avis Budget Group for their substantial match which ultimately enable parents to concentrate on their children during challenging times.”

The annual Points Matching Week initiative is the largest annual fundraiser for the Hospital Transportation Program. Here is how it helps children, and their families access medical care:

• Points donated go toward providing patients and parent or guardian flights with Air Canada and its partner airlines.
• Created in 2003, the Hospital Transportation Program is celebrating 20 years of connecting children to the medical care they need. The program works to support the following 15 pediatric hospitals across Canada: BC Children’s Hospital (BC), Alberta Children’s Hospital (AB), Stollery Children’s Hospital (AB), Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital (SK), The Children Hospital of Winnipeg (MB), Children’s Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre (ON), McMaster Children’s Hospital (ON), Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (Ont.), The Hospital for Sick Children (Ont.), Shriners Hospital for Children (QC), Montreal Children’s Hospital (QC), Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine (QC), CHU de Québec (QC), IWK Health Centre (NS), and the Janeway Children’s Hospital (NL).
• In 2022, 179 children and their families were helped with 226 flights via the Hospital Transportation Program.
• In 2022, $1.4 million and 2.92 million Aeroplan points were raised for the Foundation and its programs including the Hospital Transportation Program.