By Chris Chestnut
For recovering cancer patient Georgia Ann Turner, it seemed like an impossible journey.
After being diagnosed with intestinal cancer, doctors decided the best course of action would be to remove a large portion of Turner’s stomach. Though she’s now cancer free, she has to seek new ways to receive nutrition. That required a trip to the Mayo Clinic to see Dr. P. Malazet and discuss her options.
But due to her delicate health, Mrs. Turner and her husband, Roger, were concerned that she would not be able to make the nearly 14 hour round trip to the clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.
Luckily, a good Samaritan stepped in.
Carl Altman became acquainted with Mrs. Turner through his business, Pee Dee Family Pharmacy. She was a regular customer, and after he learned that she could not make the trip by car, he volunteered to fly her down in his Beachcraft Baron.
Mr. Altman, accompanied by Roger Blackmon as his co-pilot, met Mrs. Turner at the Dillon Airfield on Wednesday morning, departing Dillon at 7:00 a.m. Within two hours, they landed safely in Jacksonville and dropped Mrs. Turner off at the clinic.
Mrs. Turner stayed overnight and spoke with doctors about her possible options. One of those is a nasal feeding tube, which she declined. Currently, she is receiving nutrition via a central line through her heart.
On Thursday, Mr. Altman returned to Jacksonville to bring her back home to her husband in Dillon.
