March 4 - Southwest Airlines Co. announced it has donated 7,500 roundtrip tickets to help remove the financial burden for those who need to travel for life-changing or specialized medical care. More than 75 nonprofit hospitals and medical transportation organizations across the United States received the tickets through Southwest’s® Medical Transportation Grant Program, allowing them to bring patients and caregivers closer to much-needed medical care.

 

“As the airline with Heart, we have a passion for making a meaningful difference in the communities we serve,” said Laura Nieto, Director of Community Outreach. “Through our Medical Transportation Grant Program, our hope is to ease the financial burden of air travel expenses and provide a critical lifeline for patients and caregivers, allowing them to stay focused on medical treatment and recovery.”

 

This year, Southwest is supporting hospitals in 26 states, providing access for patients and their caregivers.

 

“Southwest’s generous gesture of aloha provides much-needed help to our patients and their families who travel for essential medical care,” said Jill Hoggard Green, PhD, RN, President and CEO of The Queen’s Health Systems in Honolulu, Hawaii; one of two new hospital groups in Hawaii to join Southwest’s Medical Transportation Grant Program in 2021. “Southwest’s donation provides assistance and peace of mind where it is most needed by making health care more easily accessible.”

 

To view the full list of participating hospitals and charitable organizations for 2021, visit Southwest.com/medicalgrant. Since this signature program’s inception in 2007, Southwest has donated nearly $39 million in transportation value, helping to remove the financial costs associated with travel for more than 96,000 patients and caregivers. Visit Southwest’s 50th Anniversary website to see the Medical Transportation Grant Program at work.

 

 

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