Thank you and farewell

CLIENTS, volunteers and staff gathered at Barrack Reserve Stadium on Monday to thank the RFDS Community Transport and farewell RFDS CEO Scott Chapman.

Also attending were Lisa Chesters, Member for Bendigo, Annabelle Cleeland, Member for Euroa and Andrea Metcalf, Mayor of Bendigo.

Ms Metcalf welcomed attendees and praised the RFDS Community Transport.

“It is not just about getting clients from A to B,” she said.

“It’s also about the friendships that are formed.

“Family members are not always available and this service ensures people in rural locations can access transport when needed.”

RFDS Community Transport began in August 2018 in Heathcote and was the inspiration of retiring RFDS CEO, Scott Chapman.

The service has since expanded to 10 locations in Victoria.

“I realised that other organisations had volunteers providing great services and thought we could do something,” said Mr Chapman.

“One of the greatest costs to our health system is missed appointments with both diagnosis and treatment being delayed.

“Ensuring people can get to appointments means a higher quality of life and healthier communities.

“The Royal Flying Doctors is a great institution and with community transport we have built on the wonderful legacy started by John Flynn.”

Mr Chapman told the story of a client in Foster who was diagnosed with cancer.

“Warren needed 40 chemotherapy treatments and the hospital was 100 kilometres away.

“He would have had to leave his home and live nearer the hospital.

“Community transport enabled him to go home after each treatment and be with his dog.

“There is no comfort like going home and now Warren is in remission.

“We couldn’t do it without all the amazing volunteers and it’s these stories that keep us all going.”

It was a similar story for Heathcote resident Keith McConchie, one of the service’s first clients.

“I had several health issues requiring me to travel to Bendigo,” he said.

“RFDS Community Transport has been invaluable. It is excellent and I can’t find any fault with it.

“Without them I would have had to move to Bendigo and live in a small flat, but I was able to come home each time to be with my Border Collie.

“Heathcote is my home.”

Expansion leader Erin Foster started the service in Heathcote and praised the volunteers and the local community.

“We couldn’t have achieved this much without you all,” she said.

“The community embraced the service and held it in high regard which has helped in its success.”

Attendees applauded Mr Chapman who will leave his role as CEO of RFDS Victoria in June.

Chief Executive Officer of Heathcote Health, Dan Douglass, thanked Mr Chapman for his vision and for bringing the community transport pilot program to Heathcote.

“We are very lucky have this service and the empathy and compassion shown by staff and volunteers.”