The Flying Doctor

New Zealand's Fergus Gunn considers himself a very lucky man. He is still working in a job he loves, he has a great bunch of friends and a loving, close-knit family…and he's alive! Because on the day he rolled a 4WD while checking fences on the remote NT property of Brunette Downs, back in October 2015, it was only thanks to a series of ‘lucky' incidences that ‘Ferg' made it through the day. After being discovered by a fellow station worker, who then raised the alarm, Ferg's initial, lifesaving first aid was administered by a local vet. The RFDS would again save his life, by giving Fergus a blood transfusion in the field, before he could be airlifted to hospital. The story of this Jackaroo's remote station accident would make national headlines.***Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us...and we'd love to hear from you! We'd also like you to tell us what you're loving (or not so much) about the podcast by completing our quick 5-minute survey here : https://www.flyingdoctor.org.au/Podcast-Survey-2025/. Your feedback will help shape future seasons of The Flying Doctor Podcast. As a thank you, you'll also go in the draw to win an RFDS prize pack filled with merch and other goodies! (Survey closes June 20, 2025). The winner will be contacted via email and/or text on June 21. You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au. We'd also love you to become part of the Flying Doctor Podcast Facebook group, where passionate listeners and incredible outback communities come together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The stunning images and videos that WA cattle farmer Camille McClymont shares with her Instagram followers each week, perfectly capture the epic landscapes, red dust sunsets and daily farm chores of remote station life. Camille and her husband Jack, along with their young son Lachlan, manage some 16,000 head of cattle over many thousands of hectares - and their days are often spent mustering, checking fences and savoring every second of their time together. But Camille's isolated lifestyle wasn't always this idyllic. As a teenager, facing time away from her family's farm at boarding school and grappling with her brother's illness, she became trapped in a cycle of dieting, depression and body dysmorphia. Like so many other young Australians who - often in secret - battle eating disorders that can quickly overwhelm their lives, Camilla faced a terrifying battle with Anorexia Nervosa.***Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us...and we'd love to hear from you! To find immediate resources and help with an eating disorder, head to Support for Eating Disorders and Body Image Issues | Butterfly Foundation You can also check out Camille's Insta stories at Camille McClymont (@camille_monica_) • Instagram photos and videos We'd also like you to tell us what you're loving (or not so much) about the podcast by completing our quick 5-minute survey here : https://www.flyingdoctor.org.au/Podcast-Survey-2025/. Your feedback will help shape future seasons of The Flying Doctor Podcast. As a thank you, you'll also go in the draw to win an RFDS prize pack filled with merch and other goodies! (Survey closes June 20, 2025). The winner will be contacted via email and/or text on June 21. You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au. We'd also love you to become part of the Flying Doctor Podcast Facebook group, where passionate listeners and incredible outback communities come together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this very special episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast, we're taking you on a remote rural road trip to the famous outback community of Broken Hill. And we have a Golden Ticket to one of the region's premier events! From Priscilla, Queen of the Desert to Mad Max, the remote red dirt region made world-famous on the silver screen is known as outback Australia's 'city in the desert'. It is also home to the largest RFDS base in Australia - operated by the RFDS's South Eastern Section - and providing medical services across NSW, Victoria, Tasmania, southwest Queensland and Northern SA. As Australia's first ever heritage-listed city, and the longest continuous mining community, the remote far West NSW community of Broken Hill and surrounds is tight-knit, hard-working and resilient. And while the original RFDS base was first established back in 1936, the Broken Hill Women's Auxiliary was founded soon after that - with a mission to raise funds, education and awareness around remote and rural health services and the work of the RFDS...including via its celebrated annual Broken Hill Women's Auxiliary RFDS Ball!***Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us...and we'd love to hear from you! Tell us what you're loving (or not so much) about the podcast by completing our quick 5-minute survey here : https://www.flyingdoctor.org.au/Podcast-Survey-2025/. Your feedback will help shape future seasons of The Flying Doctor Podcast. As a thank you, you'll also go in the draw to win an RFDS prize pack filled with merch and other goodies! (Survey closes June 20, 2025). The winner will be contacted via email and/or text on June 21. You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au. We'd also love you to become part of the Flying Doctor Podcast Facebook group, where passionate listeners and incredible outback communities come together. And if you're keen to track down the Broken Hill Women's Auxiliary and their world-famous Christmas Puddings, you can find them on Facebook at Royal Flying Doctor Service Broken Hill Women's Auxiliary | Facebook Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Melbourne-born Dave Rogers first caught the flying bug as a teenager, he wasn't even sure where a pilot's license might take him. But after honing his skills and flight hours as an instructor - and then spending three years flying small aircraft over (and onto!) the most remote and treacherous landscapes of Papua New Guinea - today Dave is a highly respected RFDS Senior Base Pilot at Broken Hill, NSW. But what does it actually take to become an emergency retrieval pilot and what happens when things don't exactly go to plan? On his very first day in Broken Hill, after applying for the RFDS pilot role during Covid, Dave was called to fly out to a devastating fire at the Tibooburra hotel, where a gas tank explosion caused the historic Two Storey Hotel to set alight, injuring four people. But this was just the beginning of Dave's incredible outback adventure...***Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners about our podcast and the incredible people we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated. You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au. We'd also love you to become part of the Flying Doctor Podcast Facebook group, where passionate listeners and incredible outback communities come together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From childhood memories of travelling the remote Kimberley landscapes of the 1960's, to arriving in a skirt and heels onto a remote WA airstrip in Kalgoorlie as a freshly minted RFDS Doctor, Dr Elizabeth Green's new memoir is an engaging, time-travelling treat. While Elizabeth was only 'officially' with the RFDS for two and a half years in the last 1980's, her love of medicine and the bush, along with a lifelong romance with her Flying Doc husband, Dr Stephen Langford, has gifted her with a swag full of incredible and often outrageous outback yarns. After working for 35 years with the RFDS Western Ops, as well as in Port Hedland, Stephen also wrote the iconic 2015 book, The Leading Edge: Innovation, technology and people in Australia's Royal Flying Doctor Service. Just like the shadow of the RFDS plane's she would often watch from the window of her many RFDS clinic and retrieval flights, Elizabeth believes the stories and communities of the RFDS have followed her throughout her life.***Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. You can find more details and links to Dr Elizabeth Green's new book at No Time for Makeup: The life of a flying doctor and paediatrician - Green, Dr Elizabeth | 9781923011090 | Amazon.com.au | Books There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners about our podcast and the incredible people we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated. You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au. We'd also love you to become part of the Flying Doctor Podcast Facebook group, where passionate listeners and incredible outback communities come together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many of us have probably dreamed of running away to a deserted island! But what if you actually lived on one, 365 days of the year? Ruby and Heinrich (and their toddler Lucas) are the full-time caretakers of Qld's remote One Tree Island. But as well as dealing with the daily and often extreme 'remote work' challenges of keeping an island - and all its visiting scientists - running smoothly, they are also the official custodians of an RFDS Medical Chest. There are around 3500 RFDS medical chests located all around the country - often on remote outback stations and tiny townships across rural and remote Australia. But for Ruby's baby son Lucas, access to an RFDS medical chest became critically important - on the day that Scarlet Fever came to visit One Tree.***Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners about our podcast and the incredible people we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated. You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au. We'd also love you to become part of the Flying Doctor Podcast Facebook group, where passionate listeners and incredible outback communities come together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trigger Warning: This episode contains content about suicide. "The black dog follows you...and hangs close on your flying skirts with hungry fangs". So said the ancient Roman poet Horace some 2000 years ago, as he struggled with his own 'inner demons'. Yet even today, despite our growing understanding around the science and prevalence of mental health issues, many rural and remote Australian's still wrestle with the social stigma and inter-generational pressures of THEIR black dogs. And for those country blokes who live and work in isolation and under pressure - including our farmers, miners and truckies - feelings of anxiety, stress, depression and despair can often feel overwhelming. Buckling under the inter-generational expectations of his family's farm, Wes Herring was one of those blokes - and he openly admits he HAS been to hell and back. But he's still here. He's still farming. And these days, Wes is soothing HIS savage beast with a feast of thoughtfully penned and inspiring bush poetry.***Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. In an emergency, always call 000. If you or anyone you know needs help, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636 or the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander crisis support line 13YARN. You can also reach out anytime to your local RFDS health clinic or connect with others via the RFDS mental health support program We've Got Your Back | Facebook To buy Wes's new book, you can text or call him on 0408 218 019. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners about our podcast and the incredible people we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated. You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au. We'd also love you to become part of the Flying Doctor Podcast Facebook group, where passionate listeners and incredible outback communities come together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Sean Pollard felt something 'bump' his leg while surfing off the Esperance coastline back in 2014, he had no idea what had hit him. Until the 3.5 meter Great White Shark that was attacking him, came back for another bite. Seconds later, having lost an arm and his other hand, Sean realised his only chance of survival was to swim some 100 meters back to the shore...to his waiting girlfriend (and now wife) Claire. All the while, that same shark continued circling and waited for him to bleed out. Incredibly, Sean not only survived that terrifying ordeal - but he's since thrived. After marrying the love of his life and having a beautiful baby daughter together, Sean is now an international para-Snowboarding champion, with his sights firmly set on the 2026 Winter Olympics.***Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. You can follow more of Sean's remarkable story and Snowboarding updates via his website at Sean Pollard There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners about our podcast and the incredible people we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated. You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au. We'd also love you to become part of the Flying Doctor Podcast Facebook group, where passionate listeners and incredible outback communities come together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Simon Green isn't the first country bloke to put off going to the Doctor. But when an extremely rare and sinister tumour began snaking its way down his spine, time was not on the father of three's side. In less than four weeks, his symptoms morphed from mild discomfort to nerve tingling to full-blown paralysis of his lower body. With Simon's condition quickly deteriorating, his Doctors arranged an emergency RFDS evacuation to Newcastle. Later, specialists from around the world would consult on the best way to salvage his spinal cord and save Simon's life - after diagnosing him with a cancer of the Central Nervous System that accounts for less than 2% of all brain and other CNS tumors.***Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us.There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners about our podcast and the incredible people we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated. You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au. We'd also love you to become part of the Flying Doctor Podcast Facebook group, where passionate listeners and incredible outback communities come together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For many remote and rural country kids, the dream of one day becoming a Doctor is just that. A dream. Because the challenges of vast distances to school and study, a lack of mentors and the often-daunting University entry pathways can all seem insurmountable. But the founder of the Boots to Scrubs scholarship and mentoring program for young rural women, RN and fifth year medical student Chloe Campbell, is keen to change this view. As a remote, rural woman who also happens to be dyslexic, Chloe is on a mission to inspire more country kids to consider a pathway into medicine, nursing or allied health - and she's leading by example. Having just returned from a life-changing one month placement with the RFDS in Broome, WA, Chloe says the title of 'Flying Doc' is now one she's keen to pursue.***Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. You can also find out more about the Boots to Scrubs scholarships and free mentoring programs here. Contact — Boots to Scrubs There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners about our podcast and the incredible people we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated. You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au. We'd also love you to become part of the Flying Doctor Podcast Facebook group, where passionate listeners and incredible outback communities come together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After experiencing a childhood filled with outback road trips, RFDS Policy and Advocacy Advisor Doug Wyllie carries the red dust of a million miles of the Australian outback in his veins. From the stories of wearing swimming goggles while his parents negotiated driving along an outback road without a windscreen, to the real-life RFDS rescue mission he launched on the remote Birdsville track, Doug shares his crazy adventures along distant 'tracks less travelled'. And this episode also comes with a listener WARNING! You may be at risk of wanting to jump in your car or hop aboard a motorbike and immediately head 'out bush', after listening to Doug's tall tales. But if you do, just make sure to look out for any bull dust!***Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. You can also find out more about the volunteer HF Radio network mentioned in this interview at VKS-737 The Australian National 4WD Radio Network. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners about our podcast and the incredible people we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated. You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au. We'd also love you to become part of the Flying Doctor Podcast Facebook group, where passionate listeners and incredible outback communities come together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What to bring when you haven't got a thing? For those rural and remote families who suddenly find themselves aboard an RFDS flight to a faraway city hospital, having a few 'overnight essentials' close at hand can make all the difference. But it was at the moment when Kalgoorlie mum, Kim Luke, found herself in that very situation - with just her sick son's Batman Backpack with her on an emergency retrieval flight to Perth - that the idea of a 'Grab and Go Bag' came to her. But what makes Kim's generous idea even more remarkable was that at the time, she was facing one of the worst days of her life. Because Kim's son Jayden was gravely ill, and his Doctors had no idea what was happening to him. Today, Jayden is a health, active boy who loves his bikes. But just a few short years ago, Jayden was diagnosed with one of the most common but aggressive forms of childhood cancer - a Wilms Tumour. This is Jayden's journey.****Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. To find out more about WA's RFDS Grab and Go Bags, you can visit Grab 'n Go Bag | Rotary Club of Boulder Western Australia or Boulder Rotary Club of WA donate grab and go bags for RFDS patients | Royal Flying Doctor ServiceThere has been some wonderful feedback from listeners about our podcast and the incredible people we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated. You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au. We'd also love you to become part of the Flying Doctor Podcast Facebook group, where passionate listeners and incredible outback communities come together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sophie Smith is the proud mother of five boys. But three of her sons spent just a short, beautiful time in their mother's arms. Because triplets Henry, Jasper and Evan were born way too soon. Today, Sophie runs marathons with other mums across Australia, and she and her supporters have raised nearly $10 million through the Running for Premature Babies charity that she founded with her late husband, Ash. Because when Sophie's waters broke at just 21 weeks, Doctors told her that her babies simply could not survive and would not be resuscitated. In that moment, Sophie vowed that her tiny boys' lives would be remembered for so much more than just their death.****Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. You can follow this link to find out more about Running for Premature Babies. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners about our podcast and the incredible people we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated. You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au. We'd also love you to become part of the Flying Doctor Podcast Facebook group, where passionate listeners and incredible outback communities come together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The day before baby Indi's spectacular arrival aboard an RFDS retrieval flight had been a busy one for the Pawson household. Joelene's son, Jack, had celebrated his fifth birthday with friends and family and the young mum, at 31 weeks pregnant, was feeling understandably 'off'. Maybe the busy mother of three was just dehydrated and over-tired? But when her baby stopped moving, Joelene's hubby insisted they head to the hospital to get her checked out. Within hours, the couple would find themselves boarding an RFDS flight from Orange to Sydney, as their baby girl decided to arrive into the world a LOT earlier than expected. This is the extraordinary story of what happens when Mother Nature takes over and a courageous young mum finds herself a long way from a tertiary hospital.****Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. You can follow this link to find out more about Running for Premature Babies and make sure you also check back in with our upcoming episode #126, when we chat to Running for Premature Babies founder, Sophie Smith. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners about our podcast and the incredible people we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated. You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au. We'd also love you to become part of the Flying Doctor Podcast Facebook group, where passionate listeners and incredible outback communities come together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Louise Taheny's fifth child was born, she immediately knew something was 'different'. It would take three days before baby Hugo was officially diagnosed with Down Syndrome - a syndrome caused by a random error in cell division that results in an extra copy of chromosome 21. That same day, Louise and her husband John would also learn that the top of Hugo's heart had failed to completely form - a discovery that would ultimately mean two years of 'failure to thrive', until their baby boy was old enough to undergo open heart surgery. Today, the young man now known by his friends and family as 'Hugo Rockstar' has faced a myriad of health challenges throughout his childhood and adolescence. But this is also the story of Hugo's incredible family - and the incredible courage and resiliance of his mother Louise, as she faced the added blow of her older son becoming a paraplegic after a serious car accident and later, dealt with the life-changing repercussions of her husband's debilitating stroke.***Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners about our podcast and the incredible people we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated. You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au. We'd also love you to become part of the Flying Doctor Podcast Facebook group, where passionate listeners and incredible outback communities come together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When a frantic Kate Mitchell ran towards a remote police patrol, with her seemingly lifeless toddler in her arms, she'd already spent over thirty minutes performing CPR and battling poor mobile reception to emergency services. Along with her other son, Harry, and her father-in-law, Kate had made a desperate dash by car to meet the ambulance, knowing that every second counted if 16-month-old Darcy stood any chance of surviving his terrifying Tonic-clonic seizure. Minutes later, a pursuit-trained police officer was behind the wheel of the volunteer-run ambulance, racing the Mitchell family towards Albany - with lights and sirens blaring. Now, some three years on, the Darcy Effect is helping country families from across Australia, to navigate the often frightening and complex world of an unexpected or emergency medical crisis. And as for Darcy? The fit and currently seizure free four-year-old is keeping busy helping his Mum, to pack 'care packs' for other country families, who have suddenly found themselves a long way from home.***Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners about our podcast and the incredible people we have interviewed. You can find out more about the The Darcy Effect here - and watch the super-cute First Aid video for kids, Fangs on the Farm, at "Fangs on the Farm" Episode. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated. You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au. We'd also love you to become part of the Flying Doctor Podcast Facebook group, where passionate listeners and incredible outback communities come together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Australia's 'Queen of Hearts' was born on the day when Dawn Beaumont brought her mother back to life. Even as her extensive, professional First Aid training kicked in - as Dawn calmly performed CPR on her mum in the middle of a crowded theatre foyer - the experienced health and safety manager grappled with the knowledge that her mother was having a potentially fatal heart attack. With a family history of coronary disease and obesely overweight and a smoker, Janet was (in her daughter's words) 'literally a ticking time bomb'. Thankfully, Janet survived her 2013 health emergency. And now, she's become an integral part of her daughter's epic Duathlon support crew - as Dawn takes on the world-record-breaking challenge of running and riding 20,000km in 200 days to raise 2 million dollars for the Heart Foundation and the RFDS in 2025. Because it takes a true, modern-day Warrior Woman to claim the title of Australia's Queen of Hearts.***Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. You can follow and discover more about Dawn's epic Duathlon journey via her website at Queen of Hearts Run & Ride | running and riding around Australia Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated. You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au. We'd also love you to become part of the Flying Doctor Podcast Facebook group, where passionate listeners and incredible outback communities come together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Veronica suffered a life-threatening bowel obstruction, she was told she had just hours to reach the specialist care she needed to save her life. From the outside, Veronica Croser appears to be a fit and active young Mum with a passion for adventure. If you met her on one of the many remote hiking trails she enjoys exploring, you probably wouldn't be surprised that this active rural woman also volunteers as a local firefighter for her SA community of Bordertown. But what might surprise you is what's been happening INSIDE Veronica Croser. This dynamic rural woman has spent a lifetime dealing with the often debilitating and almost always painful effects of Inflammatory Bowel Disease and it's even more complex cousin, Chrones disease. Yet against all odds – and in much the same way she has successfully tackled some of Australia's most remote bushland tracks and mountain walks - Veronica has tackled her ill-health with an incredible combination of inner strength, self-determination and incredible courage. Veronica Croser is living proof that you can't always judge a book by its cover. ***Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners about our podcast and the incredible people we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated. You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au. We'd also love you to become part of the Flying Doctor Podcast Facebook group, where passionate listeners and incredible outback communities come together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From chewing fibrous plants in Uganda to treating indigenous communities in the mountains of Peru, RFDS Senior Dentist Dr Vaibhav Garg has experienced his fair share of oral health adventures during his career. But it is the time 'Dr Vai' has spent in some of Australia's most remote and isolated communities that he credits most, for inspiring him to make remote oral health care his life's work. And it was a tiny, WA wheat belt town called Wongan Hills, that became a pivotal sliding doors moment for a young dentist simply wanting to 'make a difference'. Having recently been named the Rural Health Pros' Rural/ Remote Health Professional of the Year, Dr Vai has big plans for the future of outback oral health care. **** Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners about our podcast and the incredible people we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au. We'd also love you to become part of the Flying Doctor Podcast Facebook group, where passionate listeners and incredible outback communities come together.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is the extraordinary tale of how an American born IT sales rep. from Melbourne suddenly found himself making international headlines from the Australian outback! When Edward McKinney headed to Uluru with his wife and baby daughter in early 2022, he was looking forward to enjoying the ‘ultimate NT Aussie adventure'. But after stepping on a brown snake in his hotel hallway, Eddie soon found himself strapped onto an RFDS plane and headed to Alice Springs hospital. And all for the sake of a little baby brown snake! **** Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners about our podcast and the incredible people we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's the ultimate Australian outback legend. In July 1917, a young stockman named Jimmy Darcy was critically injured by a horse accident. In a desperate bid to save his life, his brothers transported Jimmy to the remote community of WA's Halls Creek, via a 12 hour cart ride. What followed was an extraordinary tale of courage, survival and incredible outback ingenuity. Jimmy Darcy would become the first patient to undergo an 'Operation by Telegraph'.  And on August 2nd, 1917, all the wartime wires in WA would fall silent - as the Halls Creek Postmaster and a Perth based Doctor used morse code to try and save a stockman's life. This is the story of Dr JJ Holland, Fred Trickett and Jimmy Darcy... *** Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners about our podcast and the incredible people we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many of us dread the thought of having needles - let alone having to inject a needle into ourselves! But when 44-year-old remote nurse Ryan Franks suddenly suffered a heart attack in the isolated community of WA's Coral Bay, taking his own bloods was just the first, daunting step in an extraordinary and terrifying bid to safe his own life. As the only professional medical practitioner on duty that night, Ryan would need to draw on all his remote medical training and sheer will power, to connect himself with an emergency tele-health doctor, attach his own ECG, insert his own canula and then talk his volunteer paramedic colleagues through his own (potential) resuscitation.  *** Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners about our podcast and the incredible people we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Mick Oates woke up in his campervan, completely unable to move, he couldn't even recall how he'd ended up there. As anyone who has had the opportunity to travel outback Australia already knows, taking 'the road less travelled' doesn't always go exactly to plan! But for Mick, a series of unfortunate events had finally caught up with former police officer's spine. Mick had officially 'done his back' on the Birdsville track! This is also the story of how Mick and his mates found themselves returning for a third, Big Red Bash experience in Birdsville this year - carefully hiking down a sand dune in full 'Priscilla, Queen of the Desert' costume in the famous RFDS fundraising Drag Race. Seriously! *** Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. To find out more about Birdsville's Big Red Bash, you can head to Home - Big Red Bash There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners about our podcast and the incredible people we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Everyone knows that Mums know best...So when baby Selene's mum first noticed her one-year-old was 'just not herself', she took her straight to the local hospital. But in the Christmas holiday chaos of long waiting times and staff shortages, Hayley's feverish daughter was sent home with a diagnosis of 'viral tonsilitis'. Three days later, Selene was being airlifted by the RFDS to Townsville hospital, as she struggled to breath from the pressure of a large abscess pressing into her windpipe.  *** Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners about our podcast and the incredible people we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Jaimen Hudson became a quadriplegic at the age of 17, after crashing onto his head from a dirt bike, he refused to let his disability define him. Now a world-famous photographer and filmmaker, a husband and father and the owner of a successful eco-adventure business in the stunning Esperance region of WA, Jaimen attributes much of his life's success to his positive attitude. And it was this same positive mindset that the now 33-year-old had to draw heavily upon when, on Easter Monday 2024, he was thrown from his all-terrain wheelchair and broke his neck a second time.  **** Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. You can find out more about Jaimen's extraordinary drone photography and eco-adventures at Print Store | Speaking Engagements | Photography – Jaimen Hudson There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners about our podcast and the incredible people we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Annabelle (Annie) Barr enjoys an adventure. 'Today is the first day of the rest of your life' is one of her favourite sayings. But when this former country newspaper columnist, rural mum and massage therapist suddenly found herself in a tiny country pub in the remote Flinders Ranges region of South Australia, choking on a piece of goat meat, she was stumped as to what to do. Annie had a goat in her throat - and it wasn't going anywhere! The single mum and her 12-year-old son found themselves surrounded by strangers, unexpectedly stranded and many miles from home. *** Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners about our podcast and the incredible people we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all have plenty of theories on what makes a happy marriage, a fulfilling career and a life of adventure and fun. But if anyone comes close to achieving the trifecta, it would probably be former RFDS base manager, Alison Fox and her husband (and current RFDS pilot) Bruce Carroll. In this amusing, inspiring and highly entertaining trip down memory lane, Alison and Bruce share the true stories - and tall tales - of their respective time spent working at the Meekatharra RFDS base in WA....and the incredible patients, community members and RFDS staff who shared their adventures. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether you love them or loathe them, there's no denying that snakes are an inevitable part of life in regional Australia - particularly if you live in or around our beautiful bushlands. But what would YOU do if you - or someone you were with - were to suffer a suspected snake bite? And what happens if you're hundreds of kilometers from help or emergency advice? Over a one-year period (as part of a larger, three-year study) the RFDS (Western Operations) found that 85 people from regional, rural, remote and very remote Western Australia were flown by Royal Flying Doctor Service to hospital for suspected or confirmed snake bites. While only five of these patients (6%) ultimately received a toxicologist's diagnosis of envenomation, the research showed just how challenging a remote or regional 'suspected snake bite' scenario can be. Dr Hamish Bradley is an adjunct Lecturer, Anaesthetist and Aeromedical Retrieval Specialist and he's pretty passionate about keeping us all just a little bit safer this snake season!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Always wear a seatbelt. That's the message that Laura McKenney wants the world to hear loud and clear. As an 'unbelted' passenger in a catastrophic car accident in January 2023, the then 21-year-old student nurse was flung from a friend's vehicle, before the same car rolled back over the top of her. Remarkably, none of Laura's bones were broken. But the severe head injury she sustained, along with an injury-induced stroke, nearly cost Laura her life. Her family was told she might never wake up. That in all likelihood, she would never again walk or even talk. Today, Laura is walking her way through her second Oceans to Outback RFDS fundraising challenge. And she and her sister Emily are ready to tell their story. **** If you'd like to join Laura's army and the other incredible fundraisers involved in this year's Oceans to Outback, simply head to Royal Flying Doctor Service : Home (oceanstooutback.org.au) And thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners about our podcast and the incredible people we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thankfully, community conversations and support services around mental health - particularly in rural and remote areas of Australia - are increasing all the time. The importance of checking in regularly with our family, neighbours and friends and even simply taking the time to care of our own wellbeing and 'headspace' is undeniable. But over 10 years ago, when Broken Hill grazier Brendan Cullen found himself lacking energy, drinking too much and simply feeling overwhelmed, he realised he needed professional help. Thanks to the support, advice and tools offered up by his local health service and the RFDS, Brendan discovered a new 'lease on life', as well as a passion for long-distance swimming. **** If you'd like to find out more about the RFDS 'We've got your back program' (WGYB) you can connect at https://www.facebook.com/wevegotyourbackprogram?mibextid=LQQJ4d  If this episode has raised immediate concerns for you or a member of your family, you can also call Lifeline on Call 13 11 14  Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners about our podcast and the incredible people we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2024 has been a big year in the Buchanan household. Newly married and with an active two-year-old in the house, Alex and her husband Luke were busy settling themselves, and their young son Fletcher, into their 'new life' in rural South Australia. Luke had just been appointed the new Principal at St Columba's Memorial School and as former 'city slickers', both Alex and Luke were already enjoying the friendly, close-knit community and beach lifestyle on offer in their new home of Yorketown. But the Buchanan's lives were about to change forever. *** Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us, as we continue to celebrate reaching our 100th episode milestone. And we hope you'll stay with us for another 100 episodes to come! There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners and those we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au.  We'd also love you to join the conversation at our Facebook Group called the Flying Doctor Podcast Community See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The life of a Jillaroo can be a challenging one. Working in all weather, sleeping under the stars and regularly setting up temporary muster camps, are all part of the job. No two days are ever the same. But for professional Jillaroo, Katie Fairfax, one of the most dangerous and challenging days of her life did not come about during a cattle muster, or a long-distance road trip...or even while handling heavy machinery. Instead, Katie's life-threatening event and her resulting retrieval by the RFDS, occurred after she started chasing a runaway chicken...and cut her artery with a lawn sprinkler! *** Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us, as we continue to celebrate reaching our 100th episode milestone. And we hope you'll stay with us for another 100 episodes to come! There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners and those we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au.  We'd also love you to join the conversation at our Facebook Group called the Flying Doctor Podcast Community See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anyone who regularly works with livestock knows how stressful mustering time can be. The combination of time pressures and lots of large animals in a confined space can quickly become a dangerous situation. Add in months of drought, an unfamiliar horse and some confused and cranky cattle and you have the scenario that TJ and Kylie faced, during an early morning muster at Southhamption Station in Qld, back in 2014. This is a story of unexpected outcomes, crossed communication channels and plenty of stoic outback humour. **** Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us, as we continue to celebrate reaching our 100th episode milestone. And we hope you'll stay with us for another 100 episodes to come! There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners and those we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au.  We'd also love you to join the conversation at our Facebook Group called the Flying Doctor Podcast Community See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In episode #104 of the Flying Doctor podcast, we met Greg - a passionate, 70-year-old surfer, who is lucky to be alive after suffering a stroke while on his board. Thanks to a FAST diagnosis from his wife Naomi and the incredible actions of first responders on the scene, Greg survived. But the long distance that Greg - along with other remote Australian stroke survivors we've interviewed on this podcast - had to travel to receive a full brain scan, can play a critical role in a patient's long-term recovery.  Accurately diagnosing and treating a stroke in the 'golden hour' after a bleed or blood clot strikes, can even mean the difference between life and death. Dr Zoe Schofield is the RFDS's Federal Research Strategic Projects Manager and the project lead for the integration of portable brain scanners into aeromedical retrieval for the Australian Stroke Alliance - collaborative health project currently conducting ground-breaking research into portable brain scanners and stroke detection technology.  **** The Australian Stroke Alliance recommends that we always BE FAST with stroke diagnosis - by checking BALANCE, EYES, FACE, ARMS, SPEECH and TIME (ring 000). You can find a full list of organisations working within the Australian Stroke Alliance - along with a heap of great research articles and news updates - at https://austrokealliance.org.au/ You can also find more about the research that the RFDS and Stroke Alliance is doing by following this link to our latest stroke report: https://files.flyingdoctor.org.au/dd/files/RN110_Stroke_Alliance_Research_Report_P1_Web.ff08.pdf?_ga=2.125308746.1186623458.1724133185-1925006437.1720657219 We hope you enjoyed this special episode around Stroke awareness – made possible with the support of RFDS national partner, HCF, Australia's largest not-for-profit health fund. To learn more, visit HCF health insurance | Your health comes first | HCF Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au.  We'd also love you to join the conversation at our Facebook Group called the Flying Doctor Podcast Community See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before suffering a stroke in 2022, Esperance local, Greg Hamilton, would happily spend hours a day tackling big surf breaks on his paddle board. An enthusiastic runner, former fitness club 'junkie' and a non-smoker and non-drinker - at 72 years old, Greg was the picture of good health. Later, Doctors would tell him the Basal Ganglia Haemorrhagic stroke that caused him to topple from his surf board, could just as easily have struck him at any other age or time in his life. For Greg's wife Naomi, the FAST signs of stroke were clear and TIME was critical, if Greg was to survive. **** How do you know someone is suffering a stroke? The Australian Stroke Foundation's advice is to think FAST and look for these signs. FAST. FACE is drooped, ARMS can't be raised, SPEECH slurred or confused and TIME is critical, call 000. We hope you enjoyed this special episode around Stroke awareness – made possible with the support of RFDS national partner, HCF, Australia's largest not-for-profit health fund. To learn more, visit hcf.com.au Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au.  We'd also love you to join the conversation at our Facebook Group called the Flying Doctor Podcast Community See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former tour guide, Ben Trewren, is completely at home in the remote Australian outback. Through his current logistics role with the SA charity, Operation Flinders, he regularly mentors young people in the challenges and rewards of learning basic survival skills, navigation and the simple pleasures of spending time 'out bush'. So, when this experienced adventurer found himself clinging to the top of a falling Mulga tree, his immediate thought was, 'you idiot'! Luckily (it seemed) another Mulga had broken his fall - the tree's branch leaving a small but painful puncture wound in his elbow. Just hours later, Ben realised his arm was almost completely paralysed.  **** Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us, as we continue to celebrate reaching our 100th episode milestone. And we hope you'll stay with us for another 100 episodes to come! You can also find out more about the great work being done by Ben and his co-workers and volunteers at Operation Flinders at Operation Flinders Foundation | Transforming the lives of young people There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners and those we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au.  We'd also love you to join the conversation at our Facebook Group called the Flying Doctor Podcast Community See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Padthaway farmer Phil Giles and his wife Julie love their cows - almost as much as they love their compost. On their family farm in south eastern SA, the Giles have spent the last 25 years developing a successful compost production and transport company, working with many of the region's businesses and local vineyards to utilise waste and to enhance agricultural production. But in 2018, Phil's run in with an angry 'bull at a gate' left a lasting impression on both him and the (now very bent) gate that nearly killed him! **** Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us, as we continue to celebrate reaching our 100th episode milestone. And we hope you'll stay with us for another 100 episodes to come! There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners and those we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au.  We'd also love you to join the conversation at our Facebook Group called the Flying Doctor Podcast Community See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Very few fourteen-year-olds could claim to be successfully managing their own business...but Clay 'Squid' Bertram is no ordinary teenager. As well as being the entrepreneurial brains behind a unique range of custom-made sand boards, Squid has also spent the last few years clocking up some impressive, double figure fundraising totals for the RFDS Oceans to Outback fundraising challenge. Mentored by his marathon running Dad, Micheal (aka Big Bert), his music-loving mum Simone and his cabinet making grandfather, John - all incredible community volunteers in their own right - Squid now has his sights firmly set on topping the fundraising leader board for Oceans to Outback in 2024.   ***** Thanks so much the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. To learn more about Oceans to Outback just head to Royal Flying Doctor Service : Home (oceanstooutback.org.au) We recently celebrated our 100th episode and we hope you'll continue to enjoy at least another 100 episodes to come! There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners and those we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au.  We'd also love you to join the conversation at our Facebook Group called the Flying Doctor Podcast Community See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From flipping a ute on a remote outback road, to experiencing the excruciating pain of an Irukandji jelly fish sting, our milestone 100th episode takes you on a compelling journey through the inspiring, authentic Australian stories that the Flying Doctor Podcast has shared so far. Visiting some of the most remote and beautiful locations across regional, rural and remote Australia, the stories of our patients and frontline RFDS staff will take you on an incredible adventure. So 'welcome aboard' the 100th Flying Doctor Podcast episode, as we 'turn the tables' on podcast host Lana Mitchell and discover the rich and fascinating story of how outback Australia's favourite podcast came to be.  **** Thanks so much for listening to our 100th episode of the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. And we hope you'll stay with us for another 100 episodes to come! There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners and those we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au.  We'd also love you to join the conversation at our Facebook Group called the Flying Doctor Podcast Community See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When we're stressed or anxious, the best advice is usually just to 'just relax and take some deep breaths'. But what if you suddenly simply couldn't breath? If every breath felt like you were running out of air? WA's Leanne Schofield recently experienced such a debilitating and prolonged asthma attack, that she truly thought she was going to die. **** Thanks so much for listening to the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners and those we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au.  Please join the conversation at our Facebook Group called the Flying Doctor Podcast Community See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the adrenalin pumping sport of Motorcross, there's an obstacle section known as a 'whoops' - which is basically a series of continuous bumps that racers can ride over, as fast as they like. This is the story of the day that Murray Collins hit a 'whoops' bump, that truly lived up to its name!  **** Thanks so much for listening to the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners and those we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au.  Please join the conversation at our Facebook Group called the Flying Doctor Podcast Community See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kelly Foran was eagerly expecting the arrival of her first child when she started experiencing issues with her balance and co-ordination. While Doctor's initially believed she was succumbing to pre-eclampsia, her eventual diagnosis was even more confronting. Just weeks before she was due to give birth, Kelly was told she had a brain tumour the size of a 'goose egg'. Some two decades later, this incredible country woman is helping other regional families to navigate the obstacles of accessing city-based medical treatments, through her 'Friendly Faces, Helping Hands Foundation'.  Kelly's Work - Board member of combined Clinical Excellence Commission and Agency for Clinical Innovation Community Advisory Committee, Board member of Clinical Excelle nce Commission Community Advisory committee, Board Member of two Local Health Districts Glen Innes and Tenterfield, Primary Healthcare Institute Executive Committee, NSW Consumer Leaders COVID Task Force, Community Consultative Committee for Justice Correctional Service, and Improving the Rural Patients Steering Committee. Awards - Finalist for RIRDC Rural Woman NSW;  Australia Day Awards; Nomination for Australian Of The Year 2012, 2013, 2015; National Volunteers Award 2013 from Federal Government;  Regional Community Awards;  Finalist top 4 in NSW RIRDC Award; Nominated in Telstra Business women; Named as 1 in 100 WWIA Australian Women in Agribusiness; Narrabri Shire Citizen of the year; NSW Women of the Year;  Barwon Women of the year 2015; NSW Women of the Year Finalist Rex Airlines 2016. ***** Thanks so much for listening to the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. You can find out more about Kelly Foran's foundation at Friendly Faces Helping Hands Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au.  Please join the conversation at our Facebook Group called the Flying Doctor Podcast Community  And if you haven't already done so – catch up on our extensive back-series as there are some ripper yarns, incredibly brave and strong people, and many-a-story that are so typically Aussie in terms of resilience, innovation in times of crisis, and of course humour.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Galloway family were enjoying an idyllic summer holiday together, when their Esperance caravanning paradise was suddenly shattered. The forever smiling and always energetic toddler, Parker, was pushing his scooter around a small bend on the caravan park road, when he disappeared from sight. What happened next, is every parent's worst nightmare. Two-year-old Parker was run over by a Landcruiser towing a camper trailer. The police officer who saw CCTV of the accident told Parker's parents, Emma and Ryan, that it is a miracle their toddler survived. **** Thanks so much for listening to the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners and those we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au.  Please join the conversation at our Facebook Group called the Flying Doctor Podcast Community  And if you haven't already done so – catch up on our extensive back-series as there are some ripper yarns, incredibly brave and strong people, and many-a-story that are so typically Aussie in terms of resilience, innovation in times of crisis, and of course humour.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

RFDS Flight nurse, Ann Rahn and her husband Wayne are passionate advocates for the early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. Ann wants women of ALL ages to understand that there are many different types and stages of breast cancer, that can impact women in any stage of their life. In the midst of Covid and working as a nurse in Darwin, Ann realised her breast was feeling sore. But having experienced no other symptoms or signs, Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer was certainly not the diagnosis she was expecting.   *** Thanks so much for listening to the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners and those we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au.  Please join the conversation at our Facebook Group called the Flying Doctor Podcast Community  And if you haven't already done so – catch up on our extensive back-series as there are some ripper yarns, incredibly brave and strong people, and many-a-story that are so typically Aussie in terms of resilience, innovation in times of crisis, and of course humour.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's any grandparent's worst nightmare. To find your grandchild lying unconscious and unresponsive whilst in your care. But for Registered Nurse, Judy Treloar, the added logistics of trying to get her young grandson to a hospital, from the family's remote Qld property, also involved an unexpected helicopter ride across flood waters. Judy quickly realised she needed to stop 'thinking like a grandmother' and to start 'thinking like a nurse instead.'  ***** Thanks so much for listening to the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. You can find more information about RAM (Remote Australians Matter) at Remote Australians Matter and if you'd like to know more about the ICPA, you can visit ICPA | Isolated Children's Parents' Association There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners and those we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au.  Please join the conversation at our Facebook Group called the Flying Doctor Podcast Community  And if you haven't already done so – catch up on our extensive back-series as there are some ripper yarns, incredibly brave and strong people, and many-a-story that are so typically Aussie in terms of resilience, innovation in times of crisis, and of course humour.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite plenty of setbacks and heartbreak along the way, Julia Peterson always knew she wanted to be a mum. So, when her son Taylor decided to arrive into the world 'sooner than planned', Julia and her husband Ryan faced the challenge of a premature baby with the same incredible strength and courage they are still drawing on today. Because since Taylor's birth, Julia has also faced not one, not two, but THREE cancer battles. Experiencing such a challenging cancer journey has now inspired this courageous mum to give back to others, one 'pocket heart' at a time...  ****** Thanks so much for listening to the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. You can find more information about Julia's amazing 'Pocket Hearts' movement at : https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559287598463&mibextid=LQQJ4d There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners and those we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au.  Please join the conversation at our Facebook Group called the Flying Doctor Podcast Community  And if you haven't already done so – catch up on our extensive back-series as there are some ripper yarns, incredibly brave and strong people, and many-a-story that are so typically Aussie in terms of resilience, innovation in times of crisis, and of course humour.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paige is a young mum, living on a remote station in the centre of Queensland. With two young sons, her hubby, a governess to help care for the kids and a few other couples also working on the property, Paige is a long way from her family network, and a long way from town and city services. When Paige started to have an unquenchable thirst she did not realise the severity of her health situation. ***** Thanks so much for listening to the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners and those we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au.  Please join the conversation at our Facebook Group called the Flying Doctor Podcast Community  And if you haven't already done so – catch up on our extensive back-series as there are some ripper yarns, incredibly brave and strong people, and many-a-story that are so typically Aussie in terms of resilience, innovation in times of crisis, and of course humour.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are some strong and resilient women across rural and remote Australia, and Carol Godfrey is a wonderful example. Living and managing a large pastoral property in South West Queensland, Carol has seen it all.  One day in 2011, when she had to move 500 cattle to a neighbours property, the cattle were released (by another person) too early and headed in the wrong direction, resulting in Carol rushing to get her helicopter into the air. In her haste, she made a critical error and she was lucky to live.  Her accident has changed her perspective on life. Carol's mindset and mantra is that you can do anything that you put your mind to. And she is living proof! ***** Thanks so much for listening to the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners and those we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au.  Please join the conversation at our Facebook Group called the Flying Doctor Podcast Community  And if you haven't already done so – catch up on our extensive back-series as there are some ripper yarns, incredibly brave and strong people, and many-a-story that are so typically Aussie in terms of resilience, innovation in times of crisis, and of course humour.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After packing up their city home in Perth to go on a sailing adventure, single dad James Brougham and his young daughters, Halle and Isla, have spent the past two years exploring, remote schooling & fishing along the stunning WA coastline, aboard their yacht ‘Salty Jocks'. In this inspiring episode, James explains why he decided to push his two daughters in a wheelbarrow some 500km, to raise money for the RFDS's Oceans to Outback annual fundraiser. You can find out more about the RFDS annual Oceans to Outback fundraiser at Royal Flying Doctor Service : Home (oceanstooutback.org.au) You can also follow the Brougham family's adventures (and check out James's amazing drone footage & photos) at   Salty Jocks Adventure Co. SaltyJocks Adventure Co. - YouTube ***** Thanks so much for listening to the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners and those we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au.  Please join the conversation at our Facebook Group called the Flying Doctor Podcast Community  And if you haven't already done so – catch up on our extensive back-series as there are some ripper yarns, incredibly brave and strong people, and many-a-story that are so typically Aussie in terms of resilience, innovation in times of crisis, and of course humour.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Emma Turner first discovered her seven-year-old son, Fred, had Type 1 diabetes, they were literally living in the middle of nowhere. The outback Queensland town of Blackhall even boasts a memorial to Australia's famous 'black stump'! But after Fred's symptoms suddenly became life threatening, Emma found herself sitting next to the pilot in the cockpit of an RFDS plane, with her gravely ill son on board.  ********** Thanks so much for listening to the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners and those we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au.  Please join the conversation at our Facebook Group called the Flying Doctor Podcast Community  And if you haven't already done so – catch up on our extensive back-series as there are some ripper yarns, incredibly brave and strong people, and many-a-story that are so typically Aussie in terms of resilience, innovation in times of crisis, and of course humour.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When transport company owners, Ella Reindler and her husband Dave, set out on ‘one last trucking trip' from Perth to the remote Kimberley, they knew it would likely be their last road trip together as a couple, before their new baby arrived. But nobody expected that, at just 35 weeks pregnant, Ella's waters would break in the middle of nowhere and hundreds of kilometres away from any medical care.  What followed was an anxious overnight long haul to the nearest hospital, with a very pregnant Ella behind the wheel. ************** Thanks so much for listening to the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners and those we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a specific story, please share with family and friends. Reviews and ratings help our podcast to be found by others, so if you can take the time to do that it would be appreciated.  You can also send feedback, questions or comments through to podcast@rfds.org.au.  Please join the conversation at our Facebook Group called the Flying Doctor Podcast Community  And if you haven't already done so – catch up on our extensive back-series as there are some ripper yarns, incredibly brave and strong people, and many-a-story that are so typically Aussie in terms of resilience, innovation in times of crisis, and of course humour.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.