Jack Stanmore has never forgotten the pioneering aviatrix who made a life-or-death mercy dash to save his life.
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The year was 1938 and Jack, the first baby born at the newly-opened Ivanhoe hospital, was seriously ill.
Arriving one month early and weighing in at only 1.5kg he was not expected to live.
The fledgling Ivanhoe hospital didn’t have equipment to treat a delicate premature baby with breathing difficulties so famous bush pilot Nancy Bird-Walton was called.
One hour-and-a-half later she appeared like an angel from the skies with vital life saving equipment.
Jack has been part of Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) history ever since and is thought to be the oldest surviving patient in NSW.
This week he and wife Ellie travelled from their home in Dubbo for an emotional reunion with Nancy Bird-Walton at her Sydney nursing home.
Their story will be part of a video to be shown as part of RFDS 80th anniversary celebrations this month.
“It was wonderful to catch up with Nancy Bird,’’ Jack said from his Hay Street home yesterday.
“My mother always urged me to thank her personally and I had that opportunity in 1999 when Nancy Bird attended celebrations for the opening of Bourke airport.
“They didn’t tell her I was coming and she flew up off her chair and put her arms around me.
“We’ve kept in touch ever since through the RFDS.’’
Jack describes Nancy Bird-Walton as a wonderful woman who saved countless lives across many years.
Back in 1938 she was stationed in Bourke with the Far West Children’s Health Scheme and had the district’s only aircraft.
She flew as an aerial ambulance long before the Aerial Medical Service was established at Broken Hill.
Jack has never forgotten his debt to remote medicine. As stalwart RFDS supporters he and Ellie have raised more than $16,000 in the past seven years by running Easter raffles.
Jack and Ellie are foundation members of the RFDS Dubbo support group. Their daughter, Katrina, was at the group’s first meeting and went on to work as a flight nurse at Dubbo and Bankstown flying doctor bases.
“Our family is very much a part of far western NSW and has relied on the flying doctor on several occasions,’’ Jack said.
“My brother was airlifted after falling into an arsenic-filled sheep dip and his son has been treated for motor bike busters.
“Australia can’t do without the RFDS. It’s absolutely essential.’’
heather.crosby@ruralpress.com
