While working in Dubbo last year, super-fit high-voltage electrician Chris – an ultra-marathon runner – developed chest pain and had trouble breathing. At Dubbo hospital, his heart rhythm became unstable and dangerous and he needed specialist care – urgently.

“At the emergency department I found out I had an abnormal heart rhythm. I needed emergency retrieval by the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) to Sydney,” Chris recounted.

“The flight nurse escorted me from my bed and stayed right by my side throughout the flight as I lay strapped to an ECG. The service was there to get me closer to family, friends, and medical assistance. I felt really relieved.”

His doctors found deep scarring on his heart caused by a rare genetic condition. Chris underwent major surgery and now lives with an implanted defibrillator: a device that can correct life-threatening heart rhythms in seconds.

With the all-clear from his doctors, Chris resumed exercise and on August 30 will join the elite athletes running the TCS Sydney Marathon raising funds for the RFDS.

For the first time ever, the RFDS is also an official Gold Charity Partner of the TCS Sydney Marathon, giving 35 people the chance to run for the RFDS at the event which stretches from North Sydney to the Opera House and attracts tens of thousands of runners and even larger crowds. This year, more than 123,000 people applied for a spot on the starting line.

This partnership will remind people that the RFDS is an essential healthcare service connecting Australians to care when distance gets in the way, an RFDS spokesperson said.

In the RFDS South Eastern Section, significant funding comes from donations, gifts, bequests and other RFDS initiatives such as merchandise sales. Every donation has a deep and profound impact, allowing healthcare to go wherever it’s needed most, the spokesperson added.

Chris will be one of the exceptional people going to extreme lengths – literally – to raise some of the funds that help keep the RFDS flying.

A very fit Chris said: “Needing the RFDS was an eye-opener. I saw just how essential it is for everyday Australians.

“What better charity to run for than the Royal Flying Doctor Service?”

While Chris and other runners take on the 42km course, another group will help on the day: volunteers.

Drink station volunteers play a vital role in supporting thousands of runners. By handing out water and offering encouragement along the course, they’ll help participants stay safe, hydrated, and motivated as they push toward the finish line.

The RFDS still has volunteer spaces available. If you would like to volunteer, please register here: https://pont3.rosterfy.com.au/invite/RFDS or email fundraise@rfdsse.org.au.