The RFDS has been a lifeline for those living, working, and travelling across rural, regional and remote New South Wales. Few understand that more than the Murray family at Louth, who were one of the first to use our retrieval services when our Dubbo operations first began 25 years ago.
In 1999, two-year-old Will Murray was run over by a tractor on the family’s remote property ‘Trilby’. His pelvis and leg were broken, as was one side of his ribs. He suffered serious internal injuries including a crushed liver and kidney.
Will’s parents Gary and Liz drove halfway to Bourke, their closest hospital some 140km away, where they met a paramedic who by pure coincidence had been in town for training.
“I didn’t think Will was even hurt because he wasn’t crying, and he was conscious. I’d lie him down and he would sit up. I said to Gary that I thought he had a broken leg,” Liz recalled.
“But then his eyes started to roll, and he was going blue around the mouth. Fortunately, around the corner was the ambulance.”
Now with medical care, they continued their journey on to Bourke. Not knowing the full extent of the injuries, a Professor from the Sydney Children’s Hospital was on the phone the entire time speaking with local doctors at Bourke.
“Will was conscious the whole time. He kept taking his dummy out, taking the oxygen off and saying ’I’m better now, I’m going home’ which was pretty amazing,” Liz said.
An RFDS aircraft from the Dubbo base was tasked to retrieve Will from Bourke, with a casualty specialist and additional blood on board. Liz, Gary and Will were flown to Dubbo, where a Sydney pediatric trauma team were waiting at the hospital to treat him.
A decision was made to give Will more blood and place him in an induced coma to be flown to Sydney’s Randwick Children’s Hospital by Air Ambulance where it was thought he would need surgery.
After being examined, doctors decided not to operate on Will, but he was kept in a coma for six days, was continuously monitored and had daily CAT scans. Incredibly, the bleeding eventually stopped, and Will’s injuries healed on their own.
“It was very traumatic, but we all got through it,” Liz said. “Luckily everything panned out really well for us.”
When Will was brought out of the coma, he was taken to a private room in a ward for two weeks and he and Liz would occupy most of their days taking in the outdoor views.
“I used to take him outside in his wheelchair to watch the construction going on across the road. Country kids just love bulldozers and excavators, so we’d sit there all day. And as we were under a flight path for the airport, we could also see the planes coming and going,” Liz said.
“We ourselves fly, so he was in his element being out there until they let us come home.”
Now 27 years old, Will has no recollection of the accident, or the two weeks stay in Sydney hospital, which he says is probably a good thing, but admits he’s been “accident prone ever since”, so continues to be grateful to the Flying Doctor for that peace of mind.
“Being so isolated we know just how vital the RFDS is,” Will said, who lives on one of his family’s properties just outside of Louth.
A small village, Louth is situated over 400kms from Dubbo. Many kilometres away from essential medical services, the community of Louth relies on the regular RFDS primary health clinics. Every month the RFDS provides access to GP, primary health nurses, Aboriginal Health Practitioners, telehealth and specialists such as mental health, alcohol and other drugs, and dental care.
In 2020, Louth was one of three locations chosen to receive a new purpose-built RFDS clinic, which was funded by a generous donor.
Liz said it is an incredible building which they are so grateful to have.
Like the Murray’s, the entire Louth community are huge advocates and supporters of the RFDS.
“Whenever there’s any type of fundraising we’re all there trying to do whatever we can because every little bit helps,” Will said.
“Everyone out here understands just how valuable the service is and are always happy to get behind supporting the cause.”
Liz agreed, adding that through Trilby Station – their outback farm stay – more than $12,000 is donated to the Flying Doctor each year through the generosity of family, friends, tourists and guests.
And their involvement with the Flying Doctor extends to more than just being service users and supporters. Both Liz and Will are custodians of an RFDS Medical Chest.
Starting in 1942, the RFDS Medical Chest program has been a safety net for those who are isolated from a pharmacy or medical service, providing access to life-saving medications and medical supplies.
In the event of a medical episode, which could range from the flu through to a broken bone, custodians can contact one of our doctors over the phone about what supplies from the chest can be administered until help arrives.
“The chest gets a fair workout. It is a massive help and takes the burden away,” Will said.
Liz reiterated just how vital the service is, as she too has needed to use the chest on multiple occasions.
“We’ve had a few evacuations from here with accidents and such. Being a chest custodian, it is just so good you can ring the Flying Doctor anytime of the day. I even remember talking with them at 2am one Christmas morning,” she said.
Support from families like the Murray's and townships such as Louth show just how deeply embedded the Flying Doctor is in the communities it serves, who continuously give so much back to our organisation.
It is a bond which our RFDS Dubbo operations has seen for 25 years and will continue to foster for years to come. For that we are extremely grateful.
