Skip to main content

Southwest Airlines Community

We’re Not Fighting This Battle Alone

srobertson
Explorer C

Up until the day she was born, we believed our daughter, Caitlin, would be a healthy child. However, that soon changed when we learned Caitlin had a complex congenital abnormality called Bladder Extrophy. Just two days after she was born, Caitlin underwent surgery on her bladder—the first of many surgeries for our sweet little girl.

After countless doctors’ appointments and hours of research, we decided that Caitlin needed to consult a doctor who specialized in her condition, and we knew that doctor could be far from our home in Louisiana. That is when we found the treatment center in Boston, Massachusetts, Boston Children’s Hospital - a place that would soon answer all our prayers and questions. That is also when the LUV airline made a big difference in our lives.

Caitlin’s condition requires her to routinely visit Boston Children’s Hospital. As you might imagine, travel between Louisiana and Boston can be quite expensive. Southwest Airlines’ Medical Transportation Grant Program has made it possible for Caitlin to continue to receive the care she needs, where she needs.

Caitlin

I will always remember the day we found out about our daughter’s condition. But, I also will always remember the day we found out we were not fighting this battle alone. We are so thankful to Southwest Airlines for their commitment to easing the burden of travel expenses for Caitlin, and so many others just like her.  

Over the past five years, Southwest has been humbled to lessen the burden of travel expenses for nearly 20,000 families who are facing serious illness. In 2012, Southwest provided more than $2.4 million in free transportation through our Medical Transportation Grant Program to hospitals and organizations nationwide. Learn more about this amazing program and how nonprofits can apply to participate: http://social.southwest.com/Wym.