Before I share my story I would first like to express my appreciation for Angel Flight Soars, Inc. This organization has been a God send for my family and me. I have been dealing with chronic wounds to both my legs for the past 6 years and had to make numerous visits to the JMS Burn Center in Augusta. I previously lived in Charleston, SC and currently live in Dacula, GA. If not for this organization the cost and stress of the travel would place a serious strain on my wife and other family members. I am totally appreciative of all they do, from the dispatchers to the pilots all are Great People. In addition, I am sharing my story and hopefully you can see what this organization means to me.LIFETIME OF HEALINGCharles Potter has to be careful.The scar tissue that wraps his lower legs, his anterior trunk from the waist up and half his back, isn’t as pliable as uninjured skin. It doesn’t heal as easily. A simple scratch can become a tear that can progress into an infected, chronic wound.It’s a battle the former Air Force sergeant has waged since he was burned in a roadside accident more than four decades ago.“The wounds are a result of that accident,” Potter said. “If it gets hit or something, it goes crazy. It just gets bigger, and we try to catch it. Doctors are being good; they try to catch it. It just doesn’t seem to want to respond like it should.”“Charles is one of those patients we are referring to when we talk about having patients for life,” said Dr. Bounthavy Homsombath, the medical director of the JMS Burn Center at Doctors Hospital in Augusta, GA. Dr. Homsombath has treated Potter at both the Augusta center and the JMS Burn Center at Trident Medical Center in Charleston, S.C. “Their scarred skin reacts differently to our treatment techniques. Each patient is different, and each injury is different.”THE WAR ON WOUNDSPotter is currently being treated by BRCA’s medical staff for chronic wounds on his lower extremities. The wound on his right ankle started as a small scratch suffered during a 2020 Memorial Day celebration with family and friends. As he says, the initial scratch “just went crazy,” and doctors have been working to get the resulting wound healed ever since. His left leg is more complicated: Five years of varying treatments to get enough healing traction to start wound closure bit-by-bit.“They are actually getting better,” Potter said during a visit to the outpatient clinic in Augusta recently. “The area is really reducing in size. There’s only like four spots on my left leg. On my right ankle, this is only my second surgery.”That’s not surprising in previously burned patients, because their scar tissue is the issue, said Beretta Craft-Coffman, Chief Clinical Officer for BRCA. Scar tissue is more susceptible to tears and the development of complications such as a Marjolin’s ulcer, which is an aggressive ulcerating squamous cell carcinoma. Scar tissue is also less apt to heal.“You have to be patient with these kinds of injuries,” she said. “You also have to be creative and persistent. Wounds present their own set of challenges, especially when complicated by chronic diseases, such as vascular disease, and malnutrition. That’s why our experience with these chronic wounds matters so much.”The last thing I would like to express is that i am not the only one who has benefitted from Angel Flight Soars, Inc. Many individuals and families have been blessed and in conversations with patients who have interacted with the office personnel and pilots I have heard nothing but good things. This is a program that should be continued for years to come.Sincerely,Charles K. Potter
My sons school closed last year due to Covid. He returned home depressed. His depression continued and his world became darker and darker. His mom, a travel nurse was 6 months into a contract, list contact when he stopped communicating. On March 1st he attempted suicide by pouring gasoline on his body and igniting. His burns cover 79% of his body and he has spent 5 months in ICU. He cannot sit in a car for the 3 hours to make it to the hospital he needs for treatment. His case worker scheduled the angel flight and then we were told he was refused. I can’t imagine refusing someone who is recovering after losing his faith in humanity. It is beyond shocking and the exact opposite behavior I exhibit as a healthcare professional. I look forward to the day I can bring up these gross misconducts on a larger platform. No one is more deserving than this young man. Your judgement of others to say the least is less than angelic.
I had the privilege of working with the great people at Angel Flight Soars for a number of years as a partner in the charitable aviation industry. They do an amazing job of f filling flights and staying mission focused. They are a small but might organization!
Angel Flight Soars is a very professionally run organization. For the year ended December 31,2011, 81.97% of the expenses were used for Program Services, 5.79% for General & Administrative and 7.71% for Fundraising. Angel Flight Soars focuses on helping people. Local people contribute flight services, time and goods.