THE family of Walwa youngster Blake Lee-McKie has made more than 100 trips to the Royal Children’s Hospital in the past four years.
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Blake, 4, was born with talapies, or club feet, and required weekly treatments in Melbourne during the first 12 months of his life.
His mother, Amber Lee, could not afford to stay in the city overnight so she would squeeze the weekly 14-hour return drive to Melbourne into a day.
Then Blake’s brother Ashton, now 18 months, was born with the same hip problem and required the same frequent treatments.
Ms Lee has her own medical problems and needed 32 operations before Blake was born, so the discovery of her second son’s condition pushed her to her limits, emotionally and financially.
“I just cried when I found out,” she said.
“This was all too much and I suffered really bad depression and this was when it was suggested that I try Angel Flight.”
Despite her fear of flying, the program was Ms Lee’s saving grace.
“It only takes one hour in the plane so it’s just so much better than driving — especially when the boys have plaster up to their hips and they’re tired and screaming,” she said.
“They have helped remove some of the physical, emotional and financial pressures on us.
“Angel Flight makes the hard times easier — we wouldn’t function without them.”
Their journey yesterday for Blake’s check-up was the family’s 17th Angel Flight.
