An Echuca local is taking on the Oceans to Outback fundraiser for Royal Flying Doctor Service to say thanks. Pictured is Helen Wilson holding her dog, Oppe.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Echuca local Helen Wilson’s husband, David, experienced what’s known as a widow-maker heart attack a few years ago.
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Living in Emerald, Queensland, at the time, David began having chest pain after the couple returned home from shopping in town.
“I had just finished doing my senior first aid refresher, and looked and went, ‘you're having a heart attack’,” Helen said.
“He was just grey.”
After rushing to the local hospital via ambulance, the Royal Flying Doctor Service eventually had to be called as David’s condition worsened.
A cardiac nurse and doctor arrived from Rockhampton, around 240km away, stabilised David and got him in their plane, which was bound for Brisbane, a 650km journey.
“Terry, the pilot, said ‘I’ve been listening to the radio. There’s favourable winds at either 30,000ft or 35,000ft.’ So, they got him in, and just went straight up, and straight into Brisbane,” Helen said.
“They shut the airport for him to land. The ambulance got him and took him straight to Prince Charles Hospital, where they did all the necessary treatment.
“He walked out of that hospital four days later.”
Throughout October, Helen will join the Oceans to Outback fundraiser, raising money to support the service that she credits for saving her husband’s life.
Her personal goal is to walk 100km and raise $500 for RFDS, which equates to around 3.5km per day for Helen and Oppe, her King Charles Cavalier rescue dog.
Helen and Oppe aim to walk 100km or more throughout October.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
In the past year alone, RFDS has recorded over 345,000 patient contacts around the country, including through clinics, aeromedical transports and telehealth consultations.
An estimated three to five RFDS flights leave Echuca each day, and a patient transport fleet operates locally.
In Rochester, volunteer drivers lead the Flying Doctor Community Transport service, transporting clients in RFDS vehicles.
Rochester Flying Doctor Community Transport volunteers Greg Laurie and Robyn Lucas.
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Supplied
Clients use the service to access medical appointments, including for cancer treatment in larger regional centres.
In Victoria, RFDS has saved over 26,000 hours of travel for patients and clients, and has travelled over one million kilometres across all services in the most recent financial year.
Helen and David have raised funds for the service previously by hosting a lawns bowl event in Emerald, collecting around $7000 in one day.
“We just can’t raise enough money for them,” Helen said.
“There’s no words that could say thank you enough.”
Oceans to Outback donations are tied to material outcomes, with Helen already having raised enough for two laryngoscopes, one medical chest and one set of defibrillator pads.
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