Meet Kate — Social Worker at Stanford Health Care
Meet our healthcare partner, Kate. She’s been requesting flights with Angel Flight West for an incredible 16 years as a social worker with Stanford Health Care and Stanford Children's Health | Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford . Each year, AFW works with healthcare professionals like Kate to ensure patients can access the vital care they need. Learn more at https://angelflightwest.org/healthcare-and-social-workers/.
1.?Can you tell us about your current occupation? How long have you been working in this position? Why did you become interested in your field? ?
I am the social worker for Stanford’s Interstitial Lung Disease and Cystic Fibrosis teams. I’ve been in this position since 2018. I support my patients in managing all of the non-medical things that come with trying to live life with chronic illness. Prior to that, I worked down the hall at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital (LPCH) Stanford in pediatric oncology & stem cell transplant for over a decade. I referred frequently to Angel Flight West in both positions.
2.?How did you hear about Angel Flight West? When did you start helping requesting flights with AFW? ?
I heard about Angel Flight West from colleagues at LPCH. I’ve been referring for over 16 years. It was and still is an exceptional resource that we are all so grateful for.
3.?How have your experiences requesting flights from AFW been??Without naming patients (if applicable), have there been any particularly impactful experiences that you have had that you would like to share??
AFW has always been so easy to work with. They are so kind and flexible, and I am constantly floored by the generosity of the volunteer pilots. I have a particular patient who is getting older and no longer able to drive. She has complex medical issues and needs to be seen frequently. She lives over four hours away and has no insurance coverage for transportation, so she has to privately pay for ground transportation to Stanford. This is not sustainable for her fixed retirement income. AFW has been a godsend. My patient is so grateful and even sometimes gets coffee with her pilots, who she has gotten to know and adores. I truly don’t know how we would manage her care without AFW.
4.?What would you want other healthcare workers or nonprofit partners to know about AFW? ?
AFW staff and pilots go above and beyond for our patients. And the referral process is way easier than you think it will be!
If you're a healthcare worker and want to learn more about requesting flights for patients, please visit our website or call us at (310) 390-2958. You can also email our team at [email protected].