In this incredibly inspiring episode #122 of the Flying Doctor Podcast, we hear how Dawn Beaumont's epic journey to complete a 20,000km Duathlon in 200 days to raise money for the RFDS and the Heart Foundation, is definitely something of a family affair! Dawn's husband will be her chief driver, support coach and all 'round 'fix it' man. Her Dad, as a professional cycling coach, has kept Dawn - who also works as an RFDS Manager of Safety, Health, Environment and Quality in SA - on track with her fitness preparation and daily program. And her mum, Janet, is not only an important part of the Queen of Heart's catering department - she also serves as a primary inspiration for this extraordinary, 'around Australia' adventure.
Because in 2013, in a crowded theatre foyer in Perth, Janet suffered a major heart attack and collapsed in front of Dawn. Dawn had to draw on all her professional first aid training as a Health and Safety Officer, to perform CPR on her unconscious Mum. As the minutes ticked on and Dawn calmly worked to keep her mother alive while emergency services were still on route, the Queen of Hearts was born. With a family history of cardiac disease, Dawn was well aware that her Mum - who was obesely overweight and a smoker - had all of life's cards stacked against her.
Quite simply, it was only thanks to Dawn's First Aid training and professional experience in CPT that her mum, Janet, survived. At the time of the incident, there was also no defibrillator at the major Perth theatre venue - an oversight that Dawn and theatre management soon rectified after Janet's heart attack. Now over ten years later, Janet has given up smoking and is also enjoying the benefits of weight loss surgery and a much healthier diet and lifestyle. Which means she's also more than well enough to help her daughter to complete what many people say is an impossible feat. In 2025, Dawn has taken 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. The epic journey will take Dawn and her support team all around Australia, as Australia's Queen of Hearts attempts to consecutively run and ride a grueling daily duathlon in every state and territory within Australia. It is a world-record breaking attempt that Dawn hopes will shine a much-needed light on heart disease, heart health and then challenges faced by rural and remote patients and health care workers across regional Australia.
You can follow Dawn's journey of the heart at
Queen of Hearts Run & Ride | running and riding around Australia
