Texas Children’s Announces Launch of Austin’s First Pediatric Helicopter 

With the addition of the Austin helicopter, Texas Children’s now operates two Kangaroo Crew helicopters in a coordinated transport network that also includes ground and fixed-wing capabilities serving all four campuses. The helicopter program was first launched in February 2025 at Texas Children’s in Houston and has already carried hundreds of seriously ill patients by air throughout the system. 

The expansion of the Kangaroo Crew helicopter program was made possible through the generosity of Texas Children’s donors, including Texas Children’s Ambassadors — a dedicated group of philanthropic leaders whose contributions directly enhance patient care. This year, Ambassador funding supports the Kangaroo Crew medical transport team, advancing innovation, operational efficiency and community education efforts that help teams reach critically ill pediatric and neonatal patients faster.  

“Philanthropy plays a vital role in helping Texas Children’s deliver life-saving care when time matters most,” said Ben Renberg, Chief Development Officer of the Office of Philanthropy, Texas Children’s. “Through the support of our Ambassadors and other generous donors, we are able to invest in innovations like this helicopter that make an immediate, meaningful difference for families across Central Texas and beyond.”  

The Kangaroo Crew helicopters are operated in partnership with PHI Air Medical, whose aviation and emergency medical transport expertise supports Texas Children’s mission to deliver specialized, life-saving care to children who need it most.  

“Opening a second base with Texas Children’s Hospital in the Central Texas region brings specialized care closer to families in the region,” said Paul Julander, Co-President of PHI Air Medical. “This important step ensures that when emergencies arise, help is more accessible than ever before, allowing children to receive timely, effective medical attention.” 

About Texas Children’s  

Texas Children’s, a nonprofit health care organization, is committed to creating a healthier future for children and women throughout the global community by leading in patient care, education and research. Consistently ranked as the best children’s hospital in Texas and among the top in the nation, Texas Children’s has garnered widespread recognition for its expertise and breakthroughs in pediatric and women’s health. The system includes the Texas Children’s Duncan NRI; the Feigin Tower for pediatric research; Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women, a comprehensive obstetrics/gynecology facility focusing on high-risk births; Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus, a community hospital in suburban West Houston; Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands, the first hospital devoted to children’s care for communities north of Houston and Texas Children’s Hospital North Austin, the new state-of-the-art facility providing world-class pediatric and maternal care to Austin families. The organization also created Texas Children’s Health Plan, the nation’s first HMO focused on children; Texas Children’s Pediatrics, the largest pediatric primary care network in the country; Texas Children’s Urgent Care clinics that specialize in after-hours care tailored specifically for children; and a global health program that is channeling care to children and women all over the world. Texas Children’s Hospital is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine. For more information, visit www.texaschildrens.org.   

About PHI Air Medical  

PHI Air Medical is a leading air medical transport provider, operating over 80 air medical bases in the nation. These bases provide outreach education to local communities and healthcare systems across the nation. Safely transporting more than 22,500 patients each year, each PHI Air Medical base maintains a crew of highly trained pilots, flight nurses, and paramedics – prepared to respond to emergency medical transport requests.