The Flying Doctor

• #134 No Time for Makeup. A Magical Outback Medical Memoir.

  From childhood memories of travelling the remote Kimberley landscapes of the 1960's, to arriving in a skirt and heels onto a remote WA airstrip in Kalgoorlie as a freshly minted RFDS Doctor, Dr Elizabeth Green's new memoir is an engaging, time-travelling treat. While Elizabeth was only 'officially' with the RFDS for two and a half years in the last 1980's, her love of medicine and the bush, along with a lifelong romance with her Flying Doc husband, Dr Stephen Langford, has gifted her with a swag full of incredible and often outrageous outback yarns. After working for 35 years with the RFDS Western Ops, as well as in Port Hedland, Stephen also wrote the iconic 2015 book, The Leading Edge: Innovation, technology and people in Australia’s Royal Flying Doctor Service. Just like the shadow of the RFDS plane's she would often watch from the window of her many RFDS clinic and retrieval flights, Elizabeth believes the stories and communities of the RFDS have followed her throughout her life.***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. You can find more details and links to Dr Elizabeth Green's new book at No Time for Makeup: The life of a flying doctor and paediatrician - Green, Dr Elizabeth | 9781923011090 | Amazon.com.au | Books 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 [email protected]. We'd also love you to become part of the Flying Doctor Podcast Facebook group, where passionate listeners and incredible outback communities come together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• #133 The Wild and Wonderful World of One Tree Island

  Many of us have probably dreamed of running away to a deserted island! But what if you actually lived on one, 365 days of the year? Ruby and Heinrich (and their toddler Lucas) are the full-time caretakers of Qld's remote One Tree Island. But as well as dealing with the daily and often extreme 'remote work' challenges of keeping an island - and all its visiting scientists - running smoothly, they are also the official custodians of an RFDS Medical Chest. There are around 3500 RFDS medical chests located all around the country - often on remote outback stations and tiny townships across rural and remote Australia. But for Ruby's baby son Lucas, access to an RFDS medical chest became critically important - on the day that Scarlet Fever came to visit One Tree.***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 [email protected]. We'd also love you to become part of the Flying Doctor Podcast Facebook group, where passionate listeners and incredible outback communities come together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• #132 Finding a Rhyme and a Reason for Every Season

  Trigger Warning: This episode contains content about suicide. "The black dog follows you...and hangs close on your flying skirts with hungry fangs". So said the ancient Roman poet Horace some 2000 years ago, as he struggled with his own 'inner demons'. Yet even today, despite our growing understanding around the science and prevalence of mental health issues, many rural and remote Australian's still wrestle with the social stigma and inter-generational pressures of THEIR black dogs. And for those country blokes who live and work in isolation and under pressure - including our farmers, miners and truckies - feelings of anxiety, stress, depression and despair can often feel overwhelming. Buckling under the inter-generational expectations of his family's farm, Wes Herring was one of those blokes - and he openly admits he HAS been to hell and back. But he's still here. He's still farming. And these days, Wes is soothing HIS savage beast with a feast of thoughtfully penned and inspiring bush poetry.***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. In an emergency, always call 000. If you or anyone you know needs help, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636 or the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander crisis support line 13YARN. You can also reach out anytime to your local RFDS health clinic or connect with others via the RFDS mental health support program We've Got Your Back | Facebook To buy Wes's new book, you can text or call him on 0408 218 019. 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 [email protected]. We'd also love you to become part of the Flying Doctor Podcast Facebook group, where passionate listeners and incredible outback communities come together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• #131 Sean Survived a Shark Attack. Now he's Snowboarding for Australia

  When Sean Pollard felt something 'bump' his leg while surfing off the Esperance coastline back in 2014, he had no idea what had hit him. Until the 3.5 meter Great White Shark that was attacking him, came back for another bite. Seconds later, having lost an arm and his other hand, Sean realised his only chance of survival was to swim some 100 meters back to the shore...to his waiting girlfriend (and now wife) Claire. All the while, that same shark continued circling and waited for him to bleed out. Incredibly, Sean not only survived that terrifying ordeal - but he's since thrived. After marrying the love of his life and having a beautiful baby daughter together, Sean is now an international para-Snowboarding champion, with his sights firmly set on the 2026 Winter Olympics.***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. You can follow more of Sean's remarkable story and Snowboarding updates via his website at Sean Pollard 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 [email protected]. We'd also love you to become part of the Flying Doctor Podcast Facebook group, where passionate listeners and incredible outback communities come together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• #130 A Rare Tumour was Strangling Simon's Spine

  Simon Green isn't the first country bloke to put off going to the Doctor. But when an extremely rare and sinister tumour began snaking its way down his spine, time was not on the father of three's side. In less than four weeks, his symptoms morphed from mild discomfort to nerve tingling to full-blown paralysis of his lower body. With Simon's condition quickly deteriorating, his Doctors arranged an emergency RFDS evacuation to Newcastle. Later, specialists from around the world would consult on the best way to salvage his spinal cord and save Simon's life - after diagnosing him with a cancer of the Central Nervous System that accounts for less than 2% of all brain and other CNS tumors.***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 [email protected]. We'd also love you to become part of the Flying Doctor Podcast Facebook group, where passionate listeners and incredible outback communities come together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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