Angel Flight keeps rural patients connected

Story and images: Clarissa Wright

Grawin resident Laurie Dickson lives life a little differently and says he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“It’s a place where you can see the stars, and everyone says g’day,” Laurie said.

But living remotely comes with challenges most Australians never have to think about. In Grawin, mobile reception comes and goes, internet access is unreliable, and technology that many people depend on daily can quickly become more frustration than convenience.

For Laurie, something as simple as organising medical care can be complicated. Booking appointments online, accessing telehealth services or making reliable phone calls often depends on finding a patch of signal or relying on neighbours and friends to help stay connected.

And for the past five years, while bravely battling cancer, staying connected to healthcare has never been optional. […]

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Laurie Dickson from Grawin has flown 50 times with Angel Flight. Photo Clarissa Wright