• Aeroplan Points Matching Week for the Air Canada Foundation runs until December 5
• Donations help provide sick children with access to specialized healthcare across Canada

"It really means the world to have your support system around you, for Israfil to be at home and have his own bed and have his own room, to be able to see his family between treatments," said Jessica, Israfil's mother.

Attn. video editors: View Israfil's journey showcasing how your donations make a difference in the lives of sick children needing to travel for medical care away from home.

MONTREAL, Nov. 30, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Your donations will go a long way in helping Jessica and her son Israfil, a two-year old boy who suffers from a rare type of cancer, and many other kids across Canada, to fly for medical appointments. This is what the Air Canada Foundation Aeroplan Points Matching Week is all about: helping children reach medical care.

"Your generosity, year after year, truly makes a difference in the lives of children and their families. With your precious contribution we've been able, over the last 18 months, to fly Israfil and his mother Jessica from Saskatoon to BC Children's Hospital for his medical treatments," said Valérie Durand, spokesperson for the Air Canada Foundation. "We are grateful to Aeroplan Members for their donations, which relieve a burden and ultimately allow parents to focus on their children during difficult times."

Until December 5, members who donate Aeroplan points to the Air Canada Foundation Hospital Transportation Program will double the impact of their contribution as the value of the points donated will be matched, up to 500,000 points, by Aeroplan. Through the generosity of Aeroplan Members, the Air Canada Foundation donates millions of Aeroplan points to 15 pediatric hospitals across Canada every year to help children reach the medical care they need away from home.

"We are so grateful to the Air Canada Foundation for providing the Hospital Transportation Program for all Canadian Children's Hospitals through our partnership with Children's Miracle Network. This program ensures that medically complex kids, like Israfil, have the support and access to the care they need, when they need it." agreed Allison Hepworth, BC Children's Hospital Foundation and Tanner Braaten, Jim Pattison Children's Hospital Foundation. 

"This program has been getting us to Israfil's life-saving treatments since he was a year old. We couldn't have done it without it. I can't imagine if we would've had to drive 26 hours every time. You never think about the financial impact of childhood cancer," said Jessica, who expressed her deep gratitude to Aeroplan donors on behalf of her son Israfil.

Since the introduction of the Air Canada Foundation Hospital Transportation Program in 2003, sick children, accompanied by a parent, have been able to obtain the medical care needed away from home. Driving long hours can be strenuous for both the child and the parent, especially when several visits to the hospital are required each month or when treatments last several months. Travelling by air helps families avoid tiring hours on the road and alleviates some of the financial burden of travel expenses, which can cause serious economic and emotional hardship to families. For more information on the Air Canada Foundation Hospital Transportation Program and its impact, visit www.aircanada.com/foundation.

About the Air Canada Foundation
The Air Canada Foundation, a not-for-profit organization focused on the health and well-being of children and youth, was launched in 2012. It offers both financial and in-kind support to Canadian registered charities. Core programs include the Hospital Transportation Program, which redistributes Aeroplan points to 15 pediatric hospitals across Canada, enabling sick children to access the medical care they need away from home. The Air Canada Foundation, in collaboration with the airline, also engages directly in fundraising activities, such as the Every Bit Counts program, which encourages Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge customers to donate loose change of all denominations on board flights or through collection containers available in Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges. The Foundation also offers continued support to major health-related causes that benefit Canadians and is an active participant in international humanitarian relief activity as the need arises. For more information about the Air Canada Foundation, please visit www.aircanada.com/foundation or in Air Canada's 2020 Corporate Sustainability report available at www.aircanada.com/citizensoftheworld.

About Air Canada
Air Canada is Canada's largest domestic and international airline and, in 2019, was among the top 20 largest airlines in the world. It is Canada's flag carrier and a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation network. Air Canada is the only international network carrier in North America to receive a Four-Star ranking according to independent U.K. research firm Skytrax. In 2020, Air Canada was named Global Traveler's Best Airline in North America for the second straight year. In January 2021, Air Canada received APEX's Diamond Status Certification for the Air Canada CleanCare+ biosafety program for managing COVID-19, the only airline in Canada to attain the highest APEX ranking. Air Canada has also committed to a net zero emissions goal from all global operations by 2050. For more information, please visit: aircanada.com/media, follow Air Canada on Twitter and LinkedIn, and join Air Canada on Facebook.             

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