10-07-2025
Brain surgery, motorbike crash inspire Wheatbelt mums' RFDS charity run
When Ash King came home sick from school complaining of a headache, the last thing her family expected was for the teen to be diagnosed with a bleed on the brain.
Without the fast response from the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), who flew her the 170 kilometres from Moora to the Perth Children's Hospital, her mum Kym Reilly believes she may have died.
"As we got off the plane and into the hospital, Ash had her first seizure, and if we had still been in Moora, I don't know what would have happened," Ms Reilly said.
Scans revealed Ash, who was 15 at the time, had an arteriovenous malformation that had haemorrhaged and needed to be removed from her brain, leading to multiple surgeries, including one lasting 26 hours.
During 11 months in hospital and another six undertaking rehabilitation, Ash, with the support of her family and medical team, re-learned how to walk and talk.
For Moora teacher Erin McPherson, an afternoon of motorbike riding in December turned into a rescue mission when her son Gus failed to return to the group.
The 10-year-old had ridden into a gate and broken multiple bones.
"When we found Gus, we didn't know the extent of his injuries; all we knew was it was serious," Ms McPherson said.
"When the ambulance arrived, we were met by four local volunteers who were our guardian angels that night, who kept that hope alive that Gus was going to be okay.
"Not only were they keeping Gus safe, but they were doing it for us as well; they're heroes."
Originally united by their passion for local netball, Ms Reilly and Ms McPherson have now used their shared RFDS experience to create their own fundraiser for the service.
The Heroes to Hub event will see more than 160 participants run, walk, ride a motorbike or even a horse 26 kilometres from Newhome Farm to the Mogumber Hub in Western Australia's Wheatbelt this weekend.
"Ash and Erin were having a bit of in-house banter about if Ash could endure 26 hours of surgery, Erin should be able to run 26 kilometres," Ms Reilly said.
"We call ourselves lucky because we had the best medical support in a time that no-one would call lucky or want to be in."
Ms McPherson said the 26-kilometre run put Ash and Gus's experiences into perspective.
"I never really linked Gus and Ash's stories together before, but we're inspired by these two beautiful, strong children who showed resilience through the challenges they faced," she said.
"Not only are we raising funds for the RFDS, but it is a way for us to give back to our community who rallied around us and our kids during some of the hardest times of our lives.
"It was the phone calls, hospital visits and meals from people back home that made all the difference during those times – they are also heroes to us."
Gus will be riding his motorbike along the event course, while Ash will join a group of her friends from school for the last 3-kilometre leg to the Mogumber Hub.
It is not just locals getting involved, with a nurse who looked after Ash during her time in hospital taking part from Africa.
"Pip was my very favourite nurse in the whole world," Ash said.
"She now volunteers in Magacascar on the Mercy Ship and will run 26 kilometres there because she had the honour of caring for me."
Ash is now completing Year 12 and dreams of working as a nursing assistant, idolising the team who cared for her during her time of need.
Gus is completing his final year of primary school and is back on the bike and kicking goals for his local football team.
With an original fundraising goal of $26,000, the event has surpassed organisers' expectations with donations exceeding $65,000 just days out from the run.
