Two Machias area pilots volunteer to help people in need of medical care

MACHIAS — Like true angels of mercy, two Machias area pilots have volunteered their “wings” to help seriously ill patients and their families fly to distant medical facilities for treatment.

About 35 New England based pilots are volunteers with AirLifeLine. Most are based in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, making David Rier of Machias and Charles Dorr of Marshfield Maine’s only volunteers in the program.

AirLifeLine offers its services at no cost to those who otherwise might be unable to travel to distant hospitals for emergency medical attention. Phil and Cheryl Stuart of Machias are typical of families from around the country who are thankful for the AirLifeLine program.

The Stuarts’ 11-year-old daughter, Heather, made medical history on July 11 when she became the first person with cystic fibrosis to undergo a kidney transplant. Other cystic fibrosis patients have had liver transplants.

The operation was done at Boston Children’s Hospital after waiting nearly 17 months for a suitable organ.

Phil Stuart said Monday that his daughter began dialysis treatments about a year and a half ago, which required regular trips to Boston. He drove several times, then learned of the AirLifeLine program.

Rier, who owns a Piper PA-160 based at Machias Valley Airport, is one of several New England pilots who have helped the Stuarts.

On Friday, when Heather Stuart was ready to return to Machias after spending 6 1/2 weeks at Boston Children’s Hospital, Dorr was contacted by Bill Seigal, the New England regional coordinator for AirLifeLine, asking if he could fly to Boston to transport the Stuarts back to Machias.

Dorr’s Cessna Cutlass RG departed Machias Valley Airport before 10 a.m. Saturday to transport the Stuarts.

Pilots flying emergency medical missions or transporting medicines and organs are allowed to use the term “Lifeguard” as part of their call sign. It alerts controllers that the flight requires priority handling and results in few delays en route to the plane’s destination.

Dorr was allowed to land before other flights, and 30 minutes after landing, Dorr, with Heather and Cheryl Stuart on board, was given priority handling and departed for Machias without delay.

The simple mission for Dorr has not been as simple for Heather Stuart, who has developed diabetes and must undergo twice weekly tests and monitoring for about a month, Stuart explained. If all goes well and there are no signs of organ rejection, the visits will be reduced, he said.

Saturday’s flight was the first AirLifeLine mission flown by Dorr. Rier has been active in the program for some time. The program is based in Sacramento, Calif.