Are there any programs to assist with costs of international flights for Medical Purposes?

Question

I have a friend who lives in the U.S. and her 13 year old brother lives in Uzbekistan. He has Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C and is in dire need of medical treatment in the U.S., as it is not treatable in Uzbekistan. Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, TX has agreed to treat him. We are working on getting the necessary Visas. Does anyone know of any programs available to help with the cost of travel from Uzbekistan to the U.S.? The airline tickets are $2,000 - $3,000. I have found programs to assist with transporting children within the U.S., but not internationally. It seems as though I have heard of people donating their frequent flyer miles to charitable organizations for such purposes, but I can't find any information. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

I believe there are some charities around that may help with this, contact local std clinics, and hep b and hep c foundations and check with them.  There is no government assistance though.

Answer 2

Call the airlines and speak with their public relations departments (phone numbers via the websites).  They should be aware of any programs that use donated frequent flier miles for emergency medical transportation.

Good luck!