It was just another ordinary day when 12-year-old PJ Woolley was on his way to school, except this day was anything but ordinary. Within an hour, PJ was vomiting and dizzy. He had a fever and was displaying signs of a severe medical situation.

Once at urgent care, it was discovered that PJ’s blood glucose levels were extremely high. But what PJ’s family didn’t know yet, was that he had diabetes and he needed very specific help that he could only get at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego. Although the family was nervous, their fears were quickly put at ease when a special team arrived to transport PJ.

PJ’s “angels in the sky,” as his mom likes to call them, included Jeff Emery, Air Methods pilot; Michelle Gaan, Rady pediatric nurse; and Tara McNulty, Rady registered respiratory therapist (RRT). Fortunately PJ was back to himself in no time and feeling good enough to eat within 24 hours. But the Woolleys still had a new illness to deal with, and on top of that, medical bills to pay.

Once the Woolleys received their bill, they called the Patient Business Office and were supported by Carmen Medina, one of our patient financial counselors. She wanted to make sure the situation was dealt with as painless as possible. So Carmen helped the family navigate through the post-flight process, leaving them grateful to spend their time on more important things – focusing on PJ’s recovery.