parkrun is a free, 5km community event that takes place every Saturday morning across Australia. It offers a positive environment where you can walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate. Everyone is welcome!

Quick Facts

For army veteran Colin Bale, his wife, Sandra, and their dog Oscar, parkrun had become part of their life on the road. After selling their business more than a decade ago, the couple set off to travel around Australia. Along the way, they discovered parkrun and made a personal pledge to take part wherever their travels took them.

While on a farm sit in Albany, WA, they joined the parkrun community at Mt Clarence.

"parkrun became our weekly go-to. We did it as much as we could. I'd volunteer, I'd tail walk, and I really enjoyed it,"

On a Friday in October 2024, Sandra noted that Colin was breathless while walking around the farm and urged him to sit the next one out. Hesitant to miss it, he chose to volunteer as Tail Walker, thinking it would be an easier role. 

Not long into the course, his breathing grew difficult. At first, Colin brushed it off as fitness, but others noticed he looked unwell, and after some encouragement, Colin agreed to walk back to the start with another participant. Before long, he deteriorated rapidly.  

“I had no warning. I was walking up a hill and then the next thing I know I was on the ground. I didn’t feel faint. I didn’t feel dizzy. I didn’t feel hot or cold. And that was the scary part. There was no chest pain. There was no tingling in the arms. There was nothing.”  

Sandra wasn’t on the course that morning, but word quickly reached her that Colin had collapsed, and volunteers made sure to keep her informed and arranged for their car to be moved.  

“If I had been on my own or somewhere remote, or even if the parkrun didn’t have a defib, the outcome would have been completely different. I owe those people a lot, and I owe parkrun a lot for having the equipment there,” Colin said.

With his heart rate spiking to almost 200 beats per minute, Colin was fortunate that multiple nurses were participating that Saturday, and they were able to stabilise him until paramedics arrived. The ambulance crew could not reach him on the steep trail and had to stretcher him down by hand before he was rushed to Albany Hospital, then flown to Perth’s Fiona Stanley Hospital. Here, surgeons discovered a 97% blockage in his main artery and inserted a stent. 

“If it wasn’t for me to have that heart attack at that point, with the people around me who had all the skills to keep me calm, keep me focused… I’m confident I wouldn’t be here today.”  

A Second Chance

Although he was missing his weekly parkruns, Colin didn’t rush back after his heart attack. With Sandra’s support, he focused on short walks and building his confidence again, waiting until his cardiologist gave him the all-clear to return. By January 2025, he and Sandra were staying in Bundaberg, and Colin was ready to take part in parkrun again.  

Event Director and medical practitioner Therese Ryan remembers that first morning. 

“When Colin first came to Bundaberg parkrun, he told me his story. He was grateful to know that defibs were available. He was also grateful to know that we were going to keep an eye on him in that first parkrun back.”  

For Colin, taking those first steps again was daunting, but he eased back in by volunteering as a tail walker, allowing him to participate at a manageable pace. Over time, the familiarity of Saturday mornings at parkrun became an important part of his recovery, with the benefits as much mental as physical. The routine and connection have helped to ease the constant worry that follows a major health scare, and the chance to be part of the parkrun community again reminded him he wasn’t facing that recovery alone.  

Fundraising for life-saving equipment

For parkrun Australia, ensuring every one of their 520+ events are equipped with a working defibrillator is non-negotiable. The devices have saved lives for parkrun participants and park users, and with sudden cardiac arrest claiming a life every 80 minutes in Australia, the need for reliable, well-maintained equipment is critical.  

parkrun Australia has partnered with the Australian Sports Foundation since 2015, and in 2024, launched its current Defibrillator Appeal. In just over a year, the appeal has raised more than $59,000 from 1,260 donations on their campaign page on the ASF website. While every parkrun is already equipped with a defibrillator, these funds ensure they remain reliable, covering the cost of replacing units every eight years and maintaining pads, batteries, and warranties. 

They were also one of the early adopters of the ASF’s Shopify integration, which has been a game-changer for the appeal. Merchandise is an important part of building identity within the community, with the online store a popular destination for parkrunners. Through this integration, shoppers can now add donations at checkout, a simple change that has already driven a 25% increase in donations and raised more than $13,500 from nearly 3,000 donors. 
 

WATCH THEIR FUNDRAISING STORY

Keeping Communities Safe

The Defibrillator Appeal has shown the power of community giving when combined with the right platform. By partnering with the ASF, parkrun has been able to make donations tax-deductible, offer simple ways to give through their online store, and build confidence that funds are being directed where they are needed most. 

For Colin and countless others, that support has a very real impact. Knowing a defibrillator is on hand gives participants the confidence to turn up each week, and in critical moments, it can mean the difference between life and death. 

As Glen Turner, Head of Communications and Health & Wellbeing for parkrun Asia Pacific, explains,

“Every donation to the parkrun Defib Appeal ensures that all of our events are both safe and sustainable.” 

Donate today and help keep parkrun communities safe.