Your support has given Suke Ridler a new lease on life after a brush with death several years ago.
One stormy night Suke went outside to check on her sheep, and when she returned felt cold and shivery. Overnight, and into the next morning, her symptoms worsened. With the help of her neighbour, Suke was taken to the nearest hospital where it was determined she would need to be airlifted to Sydney for further treatment.
Suke’s illness was mysterious on presentation – a superbug, which attacked her colon and sent her into septic shock. She praises Flying Doctor staff with keeping her alive. “If I had not been airlifted I would have died. It was touch and go, as my pulse and blood pressure were so low they could not operate on me. All they could do is pump me full of powerful antibiotics and keep their fingers crossed.”
“I remember worrying that I wasn’t going to be able to tell my children how much I loved them. The nurse reassured me, giving me a sense of security and safety, and telling me ‘it’s going to be ok’.”
Thanks to supporters like you Suke was able to make a full recovery and has thrown her energy into developing a phone application to help people store their memories in case anything ever happens to them unexpectedly.
‘There are people all over rural Australia that really need airlifting for a variety of reasons.’
‘Without the Royal Flying Doctor Service, people in rural Australia wouldn’t be able to get the help they need.’
