Meet our healthcare partner, Annabelle Baumgartner. She has been requesting flights with Angel Flight West since 2025 as a Nurse in the Hematology Department at University of Utah Health. Each year, AFW works with healthcare professionals like Annabelle to ensure patients can access the vital care they need.
Learn more at https://angelflightwest.org/healthcare-and-social-workers/.
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Name: Annabelle Baumgartner
Healthcare Facility: University of Utah – Sugar House Hematology
Position: Nurse
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1. Could you tell us about your current occupation? How long have you been working in this position? Why did you become interested in your field?
I am a nurse at the University of Utah Sugar House Hematology, an outpatient hematology clinic, where I help coordinate care for patients with complex and often life-altering diagnoses. I have been working in hematology for the past two years. I was drawn to nursing — and specifically to hematology — because it allows me to form meaningful relationships with patients while supporting them through some of the most challenging periods of their lives. I value being able to care for patients not only medically, but also by helping remove barriers that might otherwise prevent them from receiving the treatment they need.
2. How did you hear about Angel Flight West? When did you start requesting flights with AFW?
I learned about Angel Flight West through a social worker while coordinating care for patients who were facing significant transportation barriers. I requested my first flight with AFW in the fall of 2025, when it became clear that air travel was the only way for a patient to access the specialized care they needed. Since then, Angel Flight West has been an essential resource in helping our patients receive timely treatment.
3. How have your experiences requesting flights from AFW been? Have there been any particularly impactful experiences that you have had that you would like to share?
My experiences requesting flights from Angel Flight West have been extremely positive. The team is responsive, compassionate, and genuinely committed to helping patients access care. One particularly meaningful experience involved a low-income patient from Nevada who had no family support or financial resources. Without Angel Flight West, he would not have been able to attend his appointment or receive the care he needed. Coordinating that flight ensured he could access treatment that may significantly impact his health and quality of life.
4. What would you want other healthcare workers or nonprofit partners to know about AFW?
Angel Flight West is an invaluable partner in patient care. For other healthcare workers and nonprofit partners, I would emphasize that AFW helps remove one of the most significant barriers to care — transportation — by providing compassionate, reliable support. Their work makes a real difference in patients’ lives and allows healthcare teams to deliver more equitable, patient-centered care.
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If you’re a healthcare worker and want to learn more about requesting flights for patients, please visit https://angelflightwest.org/healthcare-and-social-workers/.
You can also email our team at [email protected]
