Aimee Merlino

Why I am participating

Hi everyone :D

This October, I’m taking part in the Base to Base challenge to raise money for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and I’d love your support! I’ll be walking 100km over October to support this amazing cause which means a lot to me personally.

Last December, my partner Arthur and I were in a scuba diving trip that went awry. We were separated and I was swept out by strong surface currents. Due to the large search area, surface vessels were unable to locate me for four agonising hours despite their best efforts. Thankfully, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter was able to locate me next to a series of sea caves, and direct boats to my location. Without their valuable support, I could have been swept into the caves, and the outcome would have been very different.

Many of us who enjoy the bush or the beach, often rely on Westpac helicopter services to keep us safe 24/7. But such a safety comes at a high cost. The AW139 helicopters cost roughly $4000 per hour to carry out rescue missions, with last year flying a whopping 1500 aeromedical and Search and Rescue missions! While the helicopter services receive public and private funding, they also rely on us - the ultimate beneficiaries - for our support.

Please consider donating via this link (). Donations over $2 are tax-deductible, and no amount is too low or too high! Your support will help save lives.