A few years ago, I retired after more than forty years of flying helicopters. Every flight required careful planning, clear procedures and skilful risk management — all fundamental to safe transportation, whether in the air or on the ground.

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Looking back on my 43-year career, it's the medevac flights I found most gratifying. Whether it was an injured logger in BC, a victim of a traffic accident in Saudi Arabia, or someone injured skiing in the Himalayas, the goal was the same: to get people the care they needed. Is there any work more fulfilling than that?

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But no pilot flies forever. When I retired to Salt Spring, I began driving people to off-island medical tests and appointments. Over the course of dozens of trips, I started hearing about the difficulties faced by people travelling on stretchers or in wheelchairs. One account that stayed with me was of an elderly woman with arthritis who found a medical transfer so uncomfortable that she was in tears by the end of the journey. It made me think there might be a better way, and the idea for Salt Spring Mobility was born.

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Since then, I've made informal enquiries with people at Lady Minto Hospital, my GP and other healthcare professionals. The message has been consistent: a local non-emergency medical transportation provider could make a real difference.

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I believe getting people to the medical care they need is important work, and it's a purpose I'm keen to carry forward through Salt Spring Mobility.

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Terry Curell
Founder