How to Help Fund Katja’s Lifesaving Flight Today

Katja’s journey has been anything but typical. Born with Truncus Arteriosus, a rare and complex congenital heart defect, she has spent much of her young life in and out of hospitals. This condition affects the way blood flows from her heart to the rest of her body, requiring immediate and ongoing intervention to survive.

By the age of 9, Katja has already undergone three open-heart surgeries—each one a critical attempt to stabilize her condition and give her a chance at a more normal life. Her strength and spirit have earned her the nickname “Katja Strong”, a symbol of the resilience she continues to show every day.

Now, her heart is failing once again. But this time, traditional surgery isn’t enough.

Katja has been accepted for a groundbreaking partial heart transplant at Duke Children’s Hospital in North Carolina—one of the few places in the country where this advanced procedure is available. Unlike a full transplant, this surgery involves implanting living donor tissue that will grow with her, potentially reducing the number of future surgeries and minimizing lifelong dependency on anti-rejection medications.

But there’s a critical obstacle: Katja cannot safely fly commercially.

As her mother, Jenn de Groot, explains:

“Katja’s immune system will be severely compromised both before and after her surgery due to immunosuppressant medications… Flying commercially poses significant risks of infection, which could jeopardize the success of her transplant and her life.”

Even a mild cold could lead to devastating consequences. With airport crowds, recycled air, and close proximity to other passengers, commercial flights are simply too dangerous.

To safely reach the operating room, Katja needs a private medical flight—a mission that comes at a cost of $45,000 to $50,000 each way. This flight isn’t just transportation; it’s her lifeline to a future.

When every minute matters and safety is non-negotiable, families turn to AeroAngel—a unique nonprofit organization that provides free, private flights for critically ill children who need access to life-saving medical care far from home. Founded by pilot and philanthropist Mark Pestal, AeroAngel focuses on serving children who cannot fly commercially due to serious health risks, just like Katja.

Unlike other air charities, AeroAngel arranges flights on business jets with professional crews, ensuring the highest level of comfort, safety, and discretion. These flights are not recreational—they’re critical medical missions that often mean the difference between life and death.

AeroAngel has flown more than 425 missions for children across the country, connecting them with leading medical centers when time and safety are essential. Now, they’re working to do the same for Katja.

Because her immune system is so compromised, Katja’s only option is a private jet flight to Duke Children’s Hospital in North Carolina. AeroAngel is actively coordinating this emergency transport and searching for a donated aircraft to make it happen. But availability is limited, and if a jet isn’t secured in time, the family will need to charter a flight—at an estimated cost of $45,000 to $50,000 each way.

💬 “We strive to ensure no critically ill child misses vital care simply because they can’t get there safely.”

— AeroAngel Mission Statement

📦 Learn more and support AeroAngel’s work at: www.aeroangel.org 

When you support Katja’s lifesaving flight—whether through a direct donation or by using the SAVEKATJA coupon at checkout—you’re doing more than contributing to a travel expense. You’re helping fund a critical medical mission with life-changing impact.

A single private medical flight from Seattle to North Carolina can cost between $45,000 and $50,000. And that’s just one way.

Here’s where your support goes:

• Private Jet Charter: Professionally operated aircraft with medically approved cabin conditions to minimize infection risk and maintain stability during transport.

• Flight Readiness: Coordination between medical teams, pilots, and ground crews to ensure safe and seamless transfer.

• Specialized Medical Planning: Because of Katja’s severely compromised immune system, flights must avoid all unnecessary stops and use specialized protective protocols.

• Flexible Return Travel: Once Katja is medically stable post-surgery, a second private flight will be needed to bring her home safely.

But your impact goes far beyond logistics.

This flight enables Katja to access a groundbreaking partial heart transplant—a surgery that uses living donor tissue designed to grow with her. It offers the possibility of fewer future surgeries and a reduced need for lifelong immunosuppressant drugs. In short, it’s a chance for Katja to live a fuller, healthier life—something every child deserves.

So when you make a purchase or donate, know this:

You’re not just helping Katja reach the hospital.

You’re helping her reach her future.

And the impact doesn’t stop there. Any additional funds raised beyond what Katja needs will go directly to AeroAngel, helping fund future lifesaving flights for other critically ill children who need urgent care. Your support today becomes a legacy of hope for tomorrow.

Katja’s story is a reminder that even small actions can lead to life-changing outcomes. Whether you’re part of the aviation community or simply someone who cares, there are three impactful ways you can help fund Katja’s lifesaving flight:

✈️ 1. Donate Directly to AeroAngel

Support the nonprofit that’s working around the clock to arrange Katja’s emergency medical flight.

👉 Donate now at AeroAngel

❤️ 2. Contribute to Katja’s GoFundMe

Every dollar brings her closer to a safe journey and a successful transplant.

👉 Give on GoFundMe

🛒 3. Shop with the Code SAVEKATJA

Now through July 4, 2025 at 12:00 AM EDT, use the coupon code SAVEKATJA at checkout on Pilotshq.com .

A portion of every order will go toward funding Katja’s private flight. It’s a simple way to turn your purchase into purpose.

And don’t underestimate the power of spreading the word—

Share Katja’s story on social media, email your friends, or talk about it with your community. Awareness drives action, and every share brings her closer to safety.

Together, we can help lift Katja toward healing. One click, one donation, one act of kindness at a time.

At the heart of this mission is more than a flight—it’s a little girl with dreams, courage, and a future worth fighting for.

For Katja and her family, this journey is filled with uncertainty. But it’s also filled with hope—the kind that grows when strangers become supporters, when companies step up, and when communities come together to lift a child toward healing.

Every donation, every use of the SAVEKATJA coupon, every shared post or forwarded email sends a clear message: You are not alone. That message is powerful. It transforms fear into faith, and isolation into action.

What might feel like a small gesture on your part—a purchase, a few dollars, a repost—can be the very thing that helps Katja board that plane. It can be the reason her family breathes easier. It can be the spark that turns possibility into survival.

Because every flight doesn’t just start with fuel or funding.

It starts with hope.

Katja’s story reminds us of the incredible strength within one small child—and the even greater strength within a united community. Her journey to a groundbreaking heart transplant depends not just on advanced medicine, but on compassion, generosity, and the willingness of others to lift her up.

Time is critical. Every moment brings her closer to surgery—and every moment counts.

At Pilotshq.com, we’re proud to stand with AeroAngel and with you, our community, to make sure Katja’s lifesaving flight takes off.

Here’s how you can help—right now:

• Use the code SAVEKATJA at checkout and turn your purchase into purpose.

• Donate directly to AeroAngel’s mission to fund Katja’s flight.

• Share her story—because awareness saves lives, too.

Let’s get Katja to surgery.

Let’s help her heart keep beating strong.

Let’s give hope wings.