12-Year-Old Walks 540 km for Sick Rural Kids, and Canberra Matches His Fundraising
Dusty Langby, 12, walked 540 km from Warren, NSW, to Canberra to raise money for children’s medical flight service Little Wings. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese matched every dollar and added A$1 million.
Twelve-year-old Dusty Langby walked 540 kilometers over 16 days, from Warren in central New South Wales to Canberra, to raise money for Little Wings, a charity that flies seriously ill children to medical care. When he arrived on September 15, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged to match every dollar, according to a statement from the prime minister’s office.
The government added A$1 million on top of the match
Dusty’s stated goal was to reach Parliament House and ask the prime minister to match his fundraising. The government’s statement put his total at more than A$500,000, while Dubbo Photo News reported A$540,000 raised by the time he shook Albanese’s hand.
Beyond the match, the government committed another A$1 million, which extends its support for Little Wings by two years. Together, the two amounts secure about A$2 million for the charity, the paper said.
“Dusty has done something extraordinary and has walked 540 kilometres to help seriously ill children and their families. My Government will match every dollar Dusty has raised so his incredible effort can make an even bigger difference.” — Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister of Australia
The money funds pop-up clinics for children in regional areas
Through its Medical Wings program, Little Wings flies specialist health teams to pop-up clinics for vulnerable children across regional NSW, Queensland and the ACT. Dusty walked with his mother, registered nurse Sarah Langby, Little Wings CEO Clare Pearson, two Warren nurses and a small support crew.
The fundraising page stays open until mid-October, and donations stood at just under A$570,000 earlier this week. Warren Shire Council plans a community celebration for Dusty on October 17. His federal MP, Jamie Chaffey, said Dusty’s long-term dream is to become a pilot like those who fly medical teams to children in regional Australia.
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