Corporate Angel Network (CAN), a US nonprofit organisation that provides cancer patients free transportation on business aircraft to travel to specialised medical centres, is significantly expanding its useable fleet by adding turboprop-powered aircraft to its traditional turbofan-powered fleet.

CAN provides this service by relying on the generosity of corporate flight departments and other aircraft operators who offer unused seats on their business jets. Last year, CAN flew more than 2,000 patient flights.

“With more than 600,000 cancer deaths and two million new cancer cases each year, our challenge is to provide many more patients with this service,” says president and CEO Robert Stangarone. “We have an opportunity to save many more lives by opening up the fleet to the thousands of single and twin-engine turboprop aircraft currently in operation. While we are incredibly proud of the number of lives we have helped, our efforts are limited by the availability of flight resources. For years, patient requests for flights have outnumbered aircraft available by a factor of two.”

While medical advancements have made remarkable progress, many patients still face formidable challenges, especially when it comes to accessing specialised care in distant locations. Transportation becomes a critical issue, particularly for those living in remote areas or facing financial hardships.

An integral part of CAN's mission is to ensure safe travel for the patients it serves. This was a major consideration in expanding its lift capacity to turboprop aircraft and will remain a priority. All Corporate Angel Network flights are flown in pressurised aircraft with a crew of two.

Flight departments and other aircraft operators who would like to participate with Corporate Angel Network should call its office directly.