Maria Friend's husband Tony, 79, who had to charter a flight privately to transport her dying husband after he was unable to get a flight for him through Royal Flying Doctor Service back to Cairns PICTURE: ANNA ROGERS
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Woman forced to pay $26k to fly terminally ill husband home
A WOMAN was forced to fork out more than $26,000 to fly her terminally ill husband from Brisbane to Cairns, so he could spend his final days at home.
Maria Friend's late husband Tony, 79, was flown to hospital in Brisbane in June for specialist treatment of the rare disease amyloidosis.
Despite efforts of medical staff, Mr Friend's condition deteriorated over the next three months.
To allow Mr Friend to spend final days back home surrounded by family and friends in Cairns, the hospital contacted Queensland Health's patient transfer arm, Retrieval Services Queensland, to transport him north on August 7.
However a patient transfer, which was to be arranged through the Royal Flying Doctor Service, was not able to be organised.
