ST. JOHN’S, NL – October 5, 2026 – Teams from across Newfoundland and Labrador came together at St. John’s International Airport today for Hope Air’s Haul for Hope, raising $50,000 to help patients overcome the distance and cost of travelling for vital medical care.

Hosted by St. John’s International Airport, the annual event challenged teams of 10 to 12 people to pull a firetruck, 100 metres across the airport tarmac. The challenge offered a powerful symbol of the journeys patients and families make when the healthcare they need is hundreds, or even thousands, of kilometres from home.

This year’s St. John’s event brought together 16 teams from local businesses, organizations and the community, all pulling together to support Hope Air’s mission of helping Canadians reach the medical care they need.

The need is significant in Newfoundland and Labrador. In 2025 alone, Hope Air supported 3,381 medical travel arrangements for patients across the province, including more than 1,472 flights and 1,142 nights of accommodation. Patients from 77 Newfoundland and Labrador communities received support, from Margaree to Bay Bulls, and Burin to Cartwright.

For patients already facing serious illness, the cost and logistics of getting to treatment can become another significant burden. Hope Air provides free flights, accommodations, meals and ground transportation to Canadians in financial need, all booked and coordinated by Hope Air’s supportive client care team with no out-of-pocket expense, helping ensure timely access to healthcare for the provinces most vulnerable.

The event also highlighted the personal impact of medical travel support through Erica, a Hope Air patient who shared her experience travelling to access life-saving medical care for anorexia and the role support from Hope Air has played in helping her reach the treatment she needs.

The event comes as Hope Air celebrates 40 years of helping Canadians overcome the distance to medical care. The organization’s connection to Atlantic Canada reaches back to its beginnings, with Hope Air’s first flight in 1986 departing from St. John’s International Airport.

“Haul for Hope in St. John’s was a powerful reminder of what can happen when a community comes together with a shared purpose,” said Mark Rubinstein, Chief Hope Officer, Hope Air. “Watching teams dig in, pull together and move the firetruck across the tarmac was an incredible sight and a meaningful symbol of what Hope Air patients face every day. For a patient travelling hundreds or thousands of kilometres for care, that distance can feel like an enormous weight. Today, St. John’s showed what it looks like when a community comes together to help carry that weight on behalf of patients across the province. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who pulled, donated, volunteered and helped make Haul for Hope possible.”

“The enthusiasm and generosity shown by our local community was truly inspiring,” said Dennis Hogan, Chief Executive Officer, St. John’s International Airport. “Hearing directly from patients and families about the challenges of travelling for medical care, and the impact Hope Air has had on their lives, reinforces the importance of this event and the organization’s mission. We are proud to support Haul for Hope and look forward to continuing our partnership with Hope Air in the years ahead.”

The day’s top honours went to the Mining Industry Rockstars, who were crowned the 2026 Haul for Hope St. John’s Champions.

All funds raised through Haul for Hope will support Hope Air’s mission of ensuring Canadians in financial need can access the medical care they need, regardless of where they live.

About Hope Air
Hope Air is Canada’s national charity providing free flights, accommodations, meals and ground transportation for Canadians in financial need who must travel long distances to access medical care. Since 1986, Hope Air has helped ensure that where someone lives or what they can afford does not determine their access to healthcare.

For more information, visit hopeair.ca.