WHEN neurosurgeon Dr James Lee swings his leg over his bike later this year, he won’t just be chasing kilometres.
He’ll be riding for the mental wellbeing of rural and regional Queenslanders.
Dr Lee is preparing to tackle the gruelling 1311km journey from Brisbane to Longreach as part of Ride-
West 2026, a Brisbane-based charity ride supporting the Royal Flying Doctor Service’s Wellbeing Out West program.
Now in its 16th year, RideWest has raised more than $2.6 million for the program, which delivers vital mental health services to communities often hundreds of kilometres from specialist care.
Based at St Andrew’s Ipswich, Dr Lee spends his working life dealing with high-stakes, complex cases as a neurosurgeon. But he says this challenge – eight days on the road, riding up to eight hours a day – will test him in an entirely different way.
“It’s a physical and mental challenge in aid of a great cause,” he said.
While Dr Lee is no stranger to endurance sport, RideWest marks a major step outside his comfort zone.
A self-described “weekend warrior” triathlete, he has completed several half-Ironman events, but admits cycling more than 1300km across Queensland is something else entirely.
“This is very, very much a new challenge for me,” he said.
“It’s definitely the biggest challenge I’ve ever taken on. That’s one of the great things about RideWest.
“None of us are elite cyclists – far from it. We’re just a group of people from different backgrounds who are up for a challenge and who want to help a great cause.”
Dr Lee will ride as part of a 40-strong peloton, supported by a tight-knit team culture that he says will be crucial when fatigue sets in.
Preparation is well underway, with group training sessions held twice a week and additional solo rides squeezed in around work and family commitments.
As a medical professional, Dr Lee has long admired the work of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, describing it as both iconic and essential.
“The RFDS is the outback – wide open spaces, red dirt and big blue skies,” he said.
“It’s synonymous with critical, high-stakes medical emergencies, but it’s easy to forget the everyday medical care it delivers to regional and remote Australia.”
Funds raised through RideWest go directly to the RFDS Wellbeing Out West program.
Community members can support Dr Lee by donating via his RideWest fundraising page or by spreading the word about RideWest and the RFDS Wellbeing Out West program through social media.
