When Michael See receives the call up to help Little Wings in his role as a volunteer, he gives thanks for his life, his family and puts on one very brave face.
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Never was there a more emotionally charged volunteer role than the one Michael and other members of the Little Wings team face.
In 2012 Little Wings began providing services to children undergoing cancer treatment at Westmead Children's Hospital. The team has extended its services to help other seriously ill children receiving treatment at the Sydney Children's Hospital Network and the John Hunter Children's Hospital.
The service helps families with regular, ongoing medical appointments to travel with ease, and offers a welcome break to children during their treatment by bringing them home for some much-needed quality time with family and friends.
The Little Wings mantra is 'keeping families together' during some of the most testing times of their lives.
Few would realise that Mr See and Maitland's modest airport play a crucial role in the service which is flying sick kids from remote locations across NSW, into Royal Newcastle Aero Club at Rutherford on a regular basis.
Mr See, a grandfather of seven, meets the young patients and their family members and transports them to and from the John Hunter Hospital for treatment.
The organisation relies on donations and volunteers like Mr See who has been with the organisation since its inception. It has recently received a generous donation from the sale of artworks at a recent Maitland exhibition and Maitland Classic Motor Association is also a strong supporter.
Mr See said his role with Little Wings can be emotional but is rewarding and gives him great satisfaction.
"The one thing it does is touch you deeply," he said. "I remember a two-year-old girl I have been transporting who was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer which attacked her immune system when she was only six months old. I look at her now and she's almost three and think of what her short little life has been like - full of trips to hospitals and family pressures," Mr See said. "I think if I can just do my little bit to help the family that's very rewarding," he said.
As a grandfather, Mr See said it's hard not to think 'what if this happens to one of my grandchildren?'
"Yes I have shed a few tears - you wouldn't be human if you didn't.
"I keep a scrapbook of all the kids I have transported. You go through it and see all the real little ones with terminal illnesses and it tugs at the heart strings.
"But when you see the smiles on their faces and the relief on the faces of their families, you feel like you have lifted the burden a little," Mr See said.
Little Wings tries to ease the journey and help sick children access specialised medical services and treatments that are only available in major cities or towns. It strives to support families by easing the financial burden, emotional strain and travel fatigue that they experience due to the long-distance travel associated with receiving vital medical treatment.
Mr See said Little Wings is a great organisation that was able to do more than 400 runs for families across NSW last year. Donations can be made at littlewings.org.au.
