Lost runner: “Drinking my own breast milk saved my life”
When marathon runner Susan O’Brien got lost in dense woodland during a race in New Zealand, she hatched an inspired plan to survive.
Susan, 33, had taken a wrong turn while running a halfmarathon through forest trails in May 2016. Despite spending hours trying to find her way, she was still lost as night fell. Having ran out of supplies, and exhausted from the race, she was growing delirious.
Susan says, “I was so cold, and by the next morning I knew I had to find a way to get more energy.
“I’d been breastfeeding my eight-month-old daughter and my breasts were full and in agony. It was then that I had my lightbulb moment – I could drink my own breast milk.
“I expressed and drank about 100ml. It was sweet and warm and gave me the energy to get up and keep searching for help.
“At 11am I finally saw a helicopter and flagged it down. I honestly thought I was going to die. I wouldn’t have had the energy to carry on if it wasn’t
for the breast milk.” Personal trainer Susan, 33, lives in Wellington, New Zealand, with her IT consultant husband Daniel, 35, son Jayden, six, and daughter Misha, four.
WRONG TURN
In May 2016, she signed up for a half-marathon at Remutaka Forest Park, a bushland outside of Wellington.
Susan says, “I’ve done plenty of forest runs before and the terrain can be tough, so you have to constantly look down at your feet to make sure you don’t trip over rocks. So when the gun went, I ran off with my head down. I was determined to finish in two hours.”
But an hour and a half into the race, Susan noticed that the track had become more overgrown and it dawned on her that there were no runners around her. She realised she’d taken a wrong turn.
She explains, “There were about 100 people doing the race and usually you see a few. At first I was just annoyed at myself for going the wrong way as it meant I wouldn’t hit my personal best.”
Susan was wearing a GPS watch to track her speed, but had no means of communication. In her running bag, she had three energy gels, a quarter of a snack bar, plus two litres of water.
She says, “I tried to find my way back to the course, but as soon as it hit the two-hour mark and there was no sign of the trail, panic set it. The national park is 54,000 acres and has huge areas of bush, ravines and mountainous terrain, so it can be very dangerous. There is no signal and the denseness of the trees means it’s not easy to spot hikers if they go missing.
“Conditions in this country can also change rapidly; it’s not unusual for hikers to die after being caught in blizzards or downfalls. You’re told to stay put if you get lost and rangers will find you. I screamed out hoping someone would hear me, but no one came.
“It was only about seven degrees and I was wearing running tights and a thin jacket, so I was too cold to stay still. I kept running around the bush, trying to find the path but became disorientated.”
HYPOTHERMIA
Hours later, it began to get dark and Susan had run out of supplies. Realising she wouldn’t be found before nightfall, Susan sheltered under a tree and dug a hole in the ground, covering herself with dirt to keep warm.
She says, “I’d finished all my supplies, so I was panicking and grew delirious as I got more and more hungry. My teeth were chattering and I only managed a few minutes of sleep. I kept weeing to try to keep myself
warm – it sounds disgusting, but it was all I could think of. I thought I’d die of hypothermia.
“I was still breastfeeding Misha and my boobs were becoming more and more sore from the milk building up. I lay in pain and panic all night and worried about my daughter being without milk.”
By morning, Susan was weak and delirious from lack of food.
She says, “It was about 5.30am when I had a crazy idea to drink my breast milk. I used an empty cereal bar packet to fashion a little cup, and squeezed my milk into it. I drank it down, relishing the sweet, watery taste.
“Then I expressed more and drank until I felt better. The milk seemed to warm me from the inside out.”
Afterwards, Susan was able to continue looking for help.
RELIEF
At 11am, she finally spotted a helicopter hovering overhead and managed to flag it down.
She says, “I cried with relief when they spotted me.”
Susan was flown the 10-minute journey to the base, where her family – who’d been contacted – were waiting.
She says, “I burst into tears as I hugged Daniel and the kids. My parents were there, too. It was so overwhelming and I couldn’t believe how many people had been out looking for me. People got together after seeing Daniel’s appeals on social media.”
After being checked over, Susan was allowed to go home.
She says, “I was hungry and exhausted, but I was fine. I truly believe the breast milk gave me enough energy to get up and find help. Being a mum literally gave me the strength to survive.”
Surprisingly, the experience hasn’t put Susan off running and she still competes in events.
She says, “I always make sure I stay with other runners and wear warm clothes.”
Dr Sarah Jarvis, Clinical Director at Patient.info, says, “Breast milk is high in nutrients – it has about 60-70 calories per 100ml and is also high in fat. It also contains a host of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients essential for a baby’s development. When Susan drank her own breast milk, it would have given her a shortterm energy boost, which meant she could find help. But as the fluid came from her own body there’s a risk of dehydration.”
BEING A MUM LITERALLY GAVE ME THE STRENGTH
TO SURVIVE
By Anna Matheson