The Flying Doctor

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The Flying Doctor Podcast

Australia is a large, remote, and unforgiving land where accidents happen. In this podcast, we talk to real patients and their families about mateship, life in the bush, and the role that the Royal Flying Doctor Service plays in servicing rural communities.

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    #110 Student nurse Laura was told she'd never walk or talk again

    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.

    28 min

  2. 18 SEPT

    #109 Why Farmer Brendan swam the English Channel…twice!

    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.

    59 min

  3. 11 SEPT

    #108 Tackling the 'highs and lows' of a toddler with T1 Diabetes

    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.

    45 min

  4. 4 SEPT

    #107 Jillaroo Katie's chicken wrangling went wildly wrong!

    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.

    40 min

  5. 28 AUG

    #106 TJ's horse slipped from under him and they hit the dirt!

    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.

    31 min

  6. 21 AUG

    #105 A brain scan on a plane?! Life-saving Australian Stroke Alliance research.

    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.

    35 min

  7. 14 AUG

    #104 Greg was lucky to survive a stroke while surfing

    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.

    41 min

  8. 7 AUG

    #103 Never mess with a Mulga! Ben's paralysing tale.

    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.

    45 min
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About

Australia is a large, remote, and unforgiving land where accidents happen. In this podcast, we talk to real patients and their families about mateship, life in the bush, and the role that the Royal Flying Doctor Service plays in servicing rural communities.

Information

  • Channel
    DM Podcasts
  • Creator
    Royal Flying Doctor Service
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2024
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024 Royal Flying Doctor Service
  • Show Website
    The Flying Doctor

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