Page 76 - AA 2018_11

Flying Pink

Qantas is instantly recognised around the world for its red flying

kangaroo. However, from mid-October the airline was due to
turn pink in support of the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

WRITER: CHRIS FRAME

lyPink is the brainchild of the physical and emotional impact was to create a meaningful way for
QantasLink Captain Susan of treatments on patients can leave a ‘Epaulettes pilots to show their support for breast
McHaffie. Established in 2015, lasting impact. cancer research.
FFlyPink sees Qantas Group pilots Captain Sue McHaffie grew up with are special After several months at the airline,
adopting pink epaulettes, as well as personal experience of the impact of McHaffie had identified something
cabin crew adorning pink wing badges breast cancer, following her aunt’s for pilots... that would both stand out and offer a
and airport staff adding pink ribbons diagnosis with the disease when personal touch for pilots: epaulettes.
to their uniforms. McHaffie was 12 years old. it’s kind of “Epaulettes are special for pilots.
Thanks to FlyPink, and with public “My aunty had breast cancer when After all the training and work,
support, Qantas Group employees I was a child. When she was first like a badge it’s kind of like a badge of honour,
have raised approximately $500,000 diagnosed they gave her a prognosis of something that displays the training
for the National Breast Cancer six months,” McHaffie told Australian of honour.’ and commitment that’s gone into
Foundation and other organisations to Aviation. flying for a career,” McHaffie explains.
support breast cancer research. “This has always stuck with me. She CAPT SUSAN MCHAFFIE “I thought that if we made the
This year, FlyPink has spread its lived for another 18 years but it was epaulettes pink, it would be a really
wings to reach a broader audience, always at the back of my mind.” Qantas Group employees have personal and significant way for pilots
thanks to a partnership with the A career in aviation awaited raised approximately $500,000 to show their support.”
Movember Foundation. This move the young McHaffie, who started for the National Breast Having little experience in
aims to build even greater awareness flying at 16. But it was her arrival at Cancer Foundation and other developing a campaign of this nature,
of a variety of cancers affecting QantasLink in 2015 that seeded the organisations. qantas Captain McHaffie took her FlyPink
thousands of people across Australia. idea of FlyPink, thanks in part to an idea to QantasLink’s chief pilot to get
existing Qantas initiative that sparked his feedback. He saw the value in it
Seeding an idea her imagination. and the idea was quickly embraced by
Approximately 40 people are “When I joined QantasLink in 2015 the Qantas Group.
diagnosed with breast cancer in there was a Dash 8 painted in pink “When we first introduced the
Australia every day. That’s 14,600 a showing support for breast cancer idea, the reaction from the crew was
year, a figure comparable with the research. This was a reassuring sign phenomenal. It was an instantly
population of Port Hedland (WA), and made me think further about positive response with a huge demand
more than Katherine (NT) and twice how we could get pilots involved in for the epaulettes,” McHaffie recalls.
that of Lennox Head (NSW). building awareness of breast cancer, “Some bases ran out and had to ask
Diagnosis is generally followed by and grow support for finding a cure.” other bases to share theirs. It became
treatment that can include surgery, The thought stuck with the newly- a community experience within the
radiotherapy and chemotherapy. And recruited QantasLink pilot during her airline, which was wonderful to be a
even long after a successful recovery, early months at the airline. Her goal part of.”

76 AUSTRALIAN AVIATION