Very Important Patients
It doesn’t matter who you are. It doesn’t matter where you are. If you need critical care, our mission is to be there for you in whatever capacity we can help. Every one of our VIPs — Very Important Patients — has a unique story of how STARS was their best hope in a worst-case scenario. We are honoured to share some of their inspirational stories here.
If you are one of our VIPs and would like to meet your crew or share your story, please email us at vip@stars.ca.
Kelly Waldron
Kelly Waldron has the distinction of being the first STARS Very Important Patient. In December 1985, Kelly was born prematurely at 27 weeks and required critical care at a larger hospital. The newly operational STARS responded, and our story has been connected to Kelly ever since.
Willem van Lankvelt
Being out in nature, on his bike, has always been one of Willem van Lankvelt's favourite activities. During what Willem thought was going to be a pleasant afternoon on his bike during a family vacation, his ride took a life-threatening turn when he was struck by a truck.
Carla Minogue
In May 2004, Carla Minogue was working as the designated traffic flagger for a road crew repairing a section of the Trans-Canada Highway in a rural community. A car struck her from behind while she was loading cones into her truck. As her crew members rushed to remove her from the wreckage, a call was placed to 911 who alerted STARS Emergency Link Centre that an air medical crew was needed.
Taylor Munroe
Taylor Munroe was enjoying a long weekend in the countryside when an off-road adventure with a friend took a tragic twist. A few years after his incident, Munroe visited STARS to reunite with the crew members from his mission. “I’m living my second chance. I’m grateful for every moment. I’m amazingly grateful for STARS, because if I didn’t get the treatment I did when I did, I might not have been able to do any of those things. They helped change my life.”
Rory Stewart
STARS is more than transport. Whether by air, ground or virtually, the expert care delivered by our doctors, nurses and paramedics comes in many forms. Just ask STARS Very Important Patient Rory Stewart, who credits STARS for helping save his life.
Lorinda Bye
After a weekend camping trip with friends went wrong, my life changed drastically. A tree fell on my tent during a violent windstorm and in one split second everything was different.
Marcus Hirschfield
It was early in the morning on Valentine’s Day 2013, and RCMP Const. Marcus Hirschfield was looking forward to finishing his general-duty shift so he could be at home with his wife and kids.
Jessi Fredin
The first time Jessi Fredin was in a car crash, one of her friends passed away and the other was carried by STARS. That was Grade 9. Just three years later, a month before graduation, she had her second encounter with STARS.
Ron Diller
Ron Diller arrived at a rural hospital looking to treat his sudden and severe back pain. But during the medical examination, Diller collapsed and went into cardiac arrest, needing nearly five minutes of CPR to be revived.
Chelsie Bullock
The sun was making a break for the horizon one warm summer evening, and Chelsie Bullock was with her childhood friend Brittany Taylor, cruising down a road near their hometown. The moment was tragically cut short by a one-ton truck.
Marcia Birkigt
Reflecting on the events of an unforgettable summertime shift, Marcia Birkigt once said: “It was a really bad day at work.” While wholly accurate, it doesn’t begin to describe the extent of her ordeal.
Charlotte McHugh
One foggy August morning, Charlotte McHugh left the family farm for her nursing job when a one-ton truck barrelled through a stop sign and into the driver’s side of her car.