For our Chief Development Officer, Shawn, Boston MedFlight’s mission isn’t just meaningful, it’s personal.
Years before he joined the organization to raise critical funds to support its growth and reach more patients, Shawn and his own family experienced the impact of Boston MedFlight’s industry-leading care firsthand.
In April 2017, Shawn’s daughter, Mia, was born prematurely at Newton Wellesley Hospital weighing just 3 pounds 9 ounces and in need of specialized care only available in Boston.
“Boston MedFlight entered our lives on what felt like our worst day. Prior to Mia being born, we knew very little about the organization. When you live in this area of the country, you know you have access to world-class care, but you simply never think about the way Boston MedFlight is a crucial part of it… until one day you know it all too well and never forget it,” Shawn says.
Just hours after her unexpected arrival, Mia was transported by Boston MedFlight’s ICU-level ground trucks to Brigham and Women’s Hospital where she spent six weeks receiving the care she needed to help her grow stronger—care she wouldn’t have accessed in time without the Boston MedFlight team’s response and neonatal expertise.
“What I remember most of the encounter with our crew was how they were so calm, caring, and communicative. I must have described that day using those three words 100 times since then,” added Shawn.
Today, Mia is a thriving eight-year-old with a vibrant personality and busy schedule, keeping her parents busy between piano lessons, soccer practice, swim, and gymnastics—a joyous reminder of how far she’s come.
For his part, the experience lives with and adds meaning to the work Shawn does every day, from the patient stories he hears to every dollar he helps raise. Whether he’s meeting with a donor or simply walking into the office, he’s reminded of the care that changed his own family’s life and of the thousands of others who count on Boston MedFlight for theirs.
