ECU Health unveils North Carolina’s first pediatric medical transport helicopter

Making sure children in Eastern Carolina get the medical help they need. That’s the message ECU Health shared this morning in Pitt County.

At the Pitt Greenville Airport, ECU Health is unveiling its brand new Pediatric Medical Transport Helicopter, and it’s the first in the entire state of North Carolina.

A project 10 years in the making, medical care for children in Eastern Carolina has never been quicker.

Jessica Yelverton, a former flight nurse, tells us the benefits of having this helicopter.

“Having the addition of this helicopter to our team will expedite getting specialty care to the patient, as well as expedite turning the team around, getting the patient back to the Children’s Hospital, and also frees up our team to take on the next patient very quickly.”

In the last five years, ECU Health has flown patients over 2 million nautical miles across 29 counties, but this bird is different, being dedicated entirely to the children in our area.

Dr. Elaine Cudnik, the Executive Director of ECU Health Children’s Advanced Practice, shares her thoughts.

What I think this can give parents is some reassurance. If you’re out in one of our communities, just because the big Children’s Hospital is here in Greenville, doesn’t mean that we can’t bring these services to you. As a parent myself, it gives me a bit of a deep breath.

This helicopter is the first of its kind in the state of North Carolina. With all kinds of equipment necessary to treat children, the cost came out to around $7 million.

To pay for it, ECU Health chipped in over $6 million, and another $600,000 was paid for through donors in the community.

“It’s part of ECU Health’s mission,” said Trey Labrecque, Program Director of ECU Health EastCare. “The mission’s first sentence is being a leader in rural healthcare, and that’s what this is an example of. To be the only dedicated children’s transport aircraft in the state of North Carolina is the example of how you lead in rural healthcare because North Carolina is very rural.”

ECU Health is hoping the helicopter can lift off for the first time in early March.