Page 78 - AA 2018_11

Gaining support With so many Australians affected epaulettes all over the world. We have
Within days, support for FlyPink by cancer, it’s not surprising that ‘Stories like sent epaulettes to pilots in over 30
had spread across all of the Qantas passenger feedback has also been countries who fly for over 135 different
Group airlines; including Qantas overwhelmingly positive. This has this make operators. Some airlines allow their
International, Qantas Domestic, ranged from donations in support pilots to wear them, others are more
Jetconnect and Jetstar. Such an of friends and family affected by the a huge reserved, but those pilots attach them
embrace allowed the message to disease, to feedback of a more personal to their luggage and alike. It has a
cross state and international borders, nature. difference to really broad appeal.”
with pink epaulettes being worn by McHaffie reflects on one story that
pilots operating the airline’s smallest has stuck with her; “I remember one me and the Keeping it real
Dash 8s to regional centres, to the email I received from a passenger. Having successfully established
largest A380s that travel as far afield She had flown QantasLink to Sydney whole team.’ FlyPink, Captain Susan McHaffie had
as London or Dallas. to receive breast cancer treatment. learnt a lot about cancer, as well as
In return for their pink epaulettes, Seeing the pink epaulettes was so CAPT SUSAN MCHAFFIE how it is detected and treated. Early
pilots make donations in support of important to her because she felt identification can make a significant
breast cancer research. McHaffie’s like the crew was there supporting difference to treatment outcomes,
initial goal was to raise $20,000, her. Stories like this make a huge a fact that led McHaffie to take a
but since 2015 the FlyPink team has difference to me and the whole team.” proactive step and get a breast cancer
achieved 25 times that target. In the years since FlyPink’s launch, scan of her own.
As support surged within the pilots from other airlines have noticed “Even though I was younger than
Qantas Group, the variety of FlyPink the striking pink epaulettes worn by the recommended age, I went ahead
merchandise available has grown. the Qantas Group crew. This has led to and got the scan. The results came
Items have been introduced to pilots from other airlines joining in the back and I was told I had breast
encourage ground staff, cabin crew campaign in various forms. cancer. It was a bit surreal. I went
and airport teams to get involved. McHaffie explains, “We’ve sent the through the treatment and now have

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