SPINAL NETWORK NEWS

SPINAL NETWORK NEWS
April 2009 Volume 12 No 1 ISSN 1175-4753
Motorsport Talent Page 18
JAI IN MEXICO
Page 3
STEM CELLS IN CHINA -
TOMORROWS TREATMENT
TODAY
Page 5
WEDDING BELLS,
HELL, AND A GOOD
TIME
Page 8
2008 AUSTRALIAN
AND NZ SPINAL CORD
SOCIETY ANNUAL
SCIENTIFIC MEETING.
Page 12

CONTENTS
EDITORIAL TEAM
2 Contents
3 Jai in Mexico
5 Stem Cells in China
7 Have wheels, will travel
8 Wedding bells
10 NZST Charity Ball
11 Council memos
paul stafford
claire mackie
Hi everyone I must apologise for the late arrival of the
first edition of SNN for 2009. It has been a busy start to the
year for the NZ Spinal Trust with four new staff joining
our team, three in Christchurch and a northern manager
in Auckland. We have started a four page newsletter
about the NZST’s activities which will be quarterly. NZST
received tremendous support from Rebecca Hobbs and
Aaron Gilmore of Dancing with the Stars, as her chosen
charity. Those of you who didn’t make it to the NZST
2009 Charity Ball, you missed a fantastic evening of fun
and dancing. A big thank you to all our supporters for
making the event a great success.
Hi, my name is Claire Mackie and I am part of this
fantastic team of fellow writers and researchers for
the Spinal Network News. I moved to Christchurch
from Wellington a couple of years ago due to a ‘too
good to miss’ work opportunity. I am employed full
time by the Canterbury District Health Board as a
graphic designer, and I also work for the NZ Spinal
Trust. I live with my husband Jon and babies Meesa,
Lena and Georgie (dog and cats) and am passionate
about people, painting, volunteer work as a Youthline
counsellor, reading and writing.
12 ANZCoS Conference
15 Let Fly
16 Up and Away on a DC3
Hamish ramsden
I was delighted when Paul asked me to be on the editorial
committee for the Spinal Network News as I see it as a
great information source plus a very important forum
for people to discuss their issues. As a C5/C6 tetraplegic
since 1994 I have been involved with many things but
currently I am the facilitator of the patient education
groups at the Burwood spinal unit, on a couple of
committees, doing some volunteer admin work, a parttime
writing course at Canterbury University and trying
to keep up with my teenage daughter who looks at me
blandly and says “Dad, you just don’t understand!”.
17 Orthobionomy
18 Motorsport talent
CONTRIBUTING
WRITERS
John Bourke
Hamish Ramsden
Claire Mackie
Robert Stubbs
Karen Rickerby
Karen Marshall
Sinead Roe
Marty Van der kley
graham tapper
john bourke
Founding member of the NZ Spinal Trust with 43
wheelchair years experience as an advocate for those
with disabilities. Currently I am the Christchurch
Total Mobility Chairperson, a member of the CCS
Disability Advisory Group and a board member
of the Hanmer Springs Forest Camp Trust. My
interests include walkways, parks and reserves,
accommodation issues and access to the Christchurch
Tram, our buses and beaches. I would also like to see
equality between MOH and ACC clients.
I was really stoked when Paul asked me to join the
team at the Spinal Network News - being the new kid
its great to have this opportunity to contribute and be
involved with the great bunch of people on the editorial
team. I’m currently living in Nelson and studying
extramurally through Massey University. I’m a C4/C5
tetraplegic following a surfing accident in Indonesia in
June 2005. Before my accident I spent my time mostly
in Wellington planning various adventures, something
I intend to keep doing - and writing stories about! In
the future I am hoping to be involved with proactive
research that deals with both the physical and emotional
challenges that people with SCI have to face.
2
SPINAL NETWORK NEWS is published by the NZ Spinal Trust
Send your contributions to: The Editor SPINAL NETWORK NEWS
c/- New Zealand Spinal Trust, Private Bag 4708, Christchurch 8140
Tel: (03) 383 7540 , Fax: (03) 383 7500
Email: paulstafford@burwood.org.nz or info@nzspinaltrust.org.nz
Web: www.nzspinaltrust.org.nz
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in SPINAL NETWORK NEWS are
those of its contributors. They do not necessarily represent the opinion
of the members of the Editorial Committee or the policies of the New
Zealand Spinal Trust.
DESIGN & LAYOUT: Claire Freeman
PRINTER: Purse Willis & Aiken Ltd.

JAI IN MEXICO
I
n Hawaii in September 2008, Jai Donnelly began an
adventure that saw him travel through Canada, and
then down America’s West Coast – visiting Oregon,
Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego, and Las Vegas, –
before travelling through Mexico. I was fortunate to catch
up with Jai in February this year while he was at home in
Sydney. He had returned home to visit family, and to be
the Best Man at a friend’s wedding. This was the fourth
time Jai had been asked to be a Best Man – people have
respect and admiration for the lad, he is reliable and has a
wonderful balance of empathy, humour, and appreciation
for life.
I was interested to find out how Jai’s disability had
influenced his travels. After a snowboarding accident
in Queenstown 2005 which fractured his L1, Jai is now
paralysed in the back of his
legs, his right leg and foot
being the worst affected.
Following the accident, Jai
spent roughly the first four
weeks using a wheelchair,
with a further six weeks using
crutches. Through determined
rehabilitation, Jai can now walk
independently with the aid of
a foot splint on his right leg.
Jai manages his bladder using
self-administering catheters
and requires stimulation for
his bowel routine. Returning
to Australia following his
rehab at Burwood, Jai set
about testing out life with the
new challenges he now had
to face. He travelled back to
New Zealand twice, and even
spent two months exploring
through Argentina.
After three years, Jai was
ready to embark on this
remarkable journey. It was the
product of hard work on Jai’s
behalf – planning, more rehabilitation, and saving (unable
to return to work as a carpenter, Jai worked in building
evaluation). Jai also employed a ‘Kendo’ attitude. This is
Australian for ‘I can do’ it. Behind Jai’s humour is a simple
and determined philosophy.
“I think its an important aspect to my travels...coz I
know, myself, and a lot of paraplegics can have that ‘lazy’
attitude and never want to go out and do anything…...I
made the decisive choice to go out there, not be lazy,
challenge myself (with a kendo approach) and had some
great experiences.”
Jai’s main concerns before leaving on his trip were to do
with aspects of bladder and bowel care. With travelling
through various countries Jai was conscious of picking up
bladder infections due to using so many different toilets.
Another of Jai’s concerns was the possibility of being a
target due to disability. As he is unable to run and has a
visible limp, Jai is aware that in some situations, people
may be inclined to attack or rob him, but during his trip he
found this not to be the case.
‘I was worried people may see me as an easy target, but
people were generally the opposite, they were really
willing to help out…it gives you a lot of confidence in the
humanity of the world!
Travelling with his friend Phil, the pair spent two weeks
on the North Shore of Hawaii which Jai described as a
very relaxed and colourful place, where you can find
drum kits on the side of the road and use it to start a party.
From the tropical wonders of the north Pacific, Jai was
slightly reluctant to fly to Vancouver where he exchanged
lazy days on the beach for scarves and jumpers. This is
when the duo found a very interesting and unique (not to
mention frugal) way to travel. It involved a contemporary
mix of ingenuity, technology, and support. Simply put, Jai
and Phil created an account on
two different websites. The first
was a couch surfing website
that advertised people who
listed their couches as available
to travellers. Jai and Phil could
email people in towns they were
travelling to take up offers of
free couches.
‘Some people may offer a couch,
or just a coffee and advice about
the area. We made some great
friends. We’ve slept on couches,
floors, beds – we had some
really good beds!’
The second was a website
that Jai described as ‘new-age
hitchhiking’. Once again the
pair created an account and
would list their travel plans, the
dates, origins and destinations.
‘We’d post a note like; two 25 year
old Australian males looking for
a ride from A to B can pay for
gas. Then we would get a few
phone calls from American girls
who would give us a ride – it
was great!’
As well as being a great way to meet the locals and save
money, the travel techniques did not present too much
trouble for Jai’s disability needs. Having Phil travelling
with him helped a lot, in the sense of having somebody
there who understood Jai’s condition. For example Phil
could help with things like looking after luggage and
holding the fort if Jai needed to use a toilet while they were
on the road or had just arrived at a new house. Jai and Phil
spent around five weeks travelling down America’s west
coast catching rides with locals, staying on couches, and
on one instance having the privilege of house sitting. A
personal highlight of Jai’s was visiting the Grand Canyon
and walking a 20km return trek.
‘It was really really steep, mules were going up and down
and they were struggling! It was seven km down to the
camp site where we stayed the night, then three kms to
a lookout. Coming back up the next morning was the
worst, around half way up my legs were tired and killing
3

NZST
JAI IN MEXICO Continued
me……I had to stop and rest, drink heaps of water and
have some food. Getting to the top, I looked back down
to what I’d just come up … I was just so satisfied coming
from doctors initially telling me that I’d never walk again,
to getting to the top of a mountain…it was like ‘Yeah, I
conquered that’.
Jai rates his time traveling through America. I was curious
to know how he found the American people and if his
disability was a topic of conversation.
‘People generally wanted to talk about the election! When
I met people briefly I wouldn’t talk about my disability – it
felt pretty good. When I did talk about it I kept to the basics,
how I had the injury and whereabouts I was paralysed,
stuff like that….People were great, really friendly and
keen to help…if people did take an interest in my injury
then I’d open up to them..’
While in America Jai began taking pro-biotics in an
attempt to ward off any potential bladder inflections. At
one point he felt the symptoms of an infection and learnt
how expensive the American health system can be. Even
with the help of a local nurse (Jai was house sitting her
mother’s house) an appointment with a Doctor was going
to be around US$200. Jai decided to carry on without
antibiotics and luckily was ok. In late November, Jai and
Phil entered Mexico. Jai was feeling good and his health
was behaving. Their new environment was different –
colour, music, people, and cheap antibiotics!
‘When you cross the boarder, you straight away see all these
restaurants followed by heaps of chemists – they all have
big signs up with ‘Tramadol!’, ‘Valium’, or ‘Antibiotics!’ it
was crazy!’
With the smell of new adventures ahead, the lads spent
two weeks traveling down the Baja peninsula, Jai and
Phil used buses which would travel at night. Take note –
cramped bus toilets and corners are not ideal conditions
for using a catheter.
Jai spent the following two months exploring Mexico,
travelling with Phil but often by himself. Mainly travelling
by bus, Jai stayed in hostels and even had a tent which he
would use at some of the world’s most unbelievable beaches.
One such beach was Zipolite, a place known for its relaxed
lifestyle and undercover policemen. Another highlight
was Michoacan, an inland state of Mexico and home of the
ancient Tarascan people. These two locations illustrate the
depth to Mexico’s beauty – from tropical beaches to thick
highlands and stunning fresh water lakes.
Jai explained that he fared well considering his spinal cord
injury. He suffered pain in his hips and feet if he walked
a long distance, and to avoid painkillers he would often
rest for a day, writing or reading to give his legs a break.
He also purchased a course of antibiotics that relieved a
bladder infection. Despite having been on the road for
over three months, Jai’s supplies were holding up well.
Throughout America and Mexico, Jai found the chemists
to have good supplies of gloves and lube if he was running
short. And having around 50 catheters that he was using at
one per week, Jai had well over half left.
Jai is heading back to Mexico at the end of February ‘09 for
more adventure; I asked how his accident in 2005 affects
his outlook on life
‘I look back and think wow, I should be in a wheelchair
I shouldn’t be walking – I’m seeing the most incredible
things and getting into the most amazing places…I have a
really big appreciation cos I have friends (in wheelchairs)
who couldn’t do half the things I’ve done…’
And his future?
‘Once you know you can do it, I now just want to go off the
beaten track to push my limits’
JOHN bourke
4

STEM CELLS IN CHINA ~
TOMORROW’S TREATMENT TODAY
Four months after my spinal cord injury and finally
arriving back home I still couldn’t accept or come to grips
with everyone’s conclusion that this was life and I would
be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of my life! Half way
through my life at 35 and all of sudden I couldn’t walk, run,
move around easily, control my bladder or bowels and do a
lot of things we all take for granted.
Somehow you have to accept what the doctors say that at
the moment there is still no cure for spinal cord injuries.
While in the hospital one of the physio’s often talked
about the research on stem cells and their possibilities and
how research had slowed down because the American
government had stopped funding embryonic stem cell
research. So when back at home recovering I decided to start
doing some research on it over the internet.
The first one I contacted was the Xcell centre in Germany. They
offered stem cell injections using your own stem cells, but just
the one treatment within a week and not much else.
More research and the options included a doctor in India
using embryonic cells, or China using stem cells from
babies’ umbilical chords. China looked more attractive as
their stem cells were adult cells from umbilical cords where
they are at their youngest, the amount of injections are only
limited to your budget. Along with the stem cell treatment
the package included intensive physio, acupuncture, and
electric wave therapy. Beike Biotech was the contact for
China. Embryonic cells are still a little unknown in the fact
that they may be uncontrollable given their younger state.
So after a lot of thought and discussion with family and
close friends Tanya and I decided China stem cells was
the best option. On August 30th we flew to China for a
six week treatment of stem cells. Three IV injections and
six lumbar injections. Of course with all this research I
couldn’t find any results of anyone getting up and walking
but there were people who had had some improvements.
My hope was to get some improvement in feeling or
movement to give me something to work on every day
instead of accepting my current state for the rest of my life.
Or bladder and bowel control back, something that would
vastly improve my quality of life.
A very good friend of mine Darren Abrahams gave up
his time to come along for the first two weeks to help with
getting organised and settled.
After a 12 hr flight to Shanghai and another hour and a half
to Qingdao we were picked up at the airport by the staff
of Biotech and delivered to the hospital in the Chengyang
province. The people at the hospital were great and you were
soon settled in. Patients were there from all over the world for
different conditions but all with the same hope of some result
which was not freely available in their own countries. Kids
through to adults from cerebral palsy to spinal cord injuries.
First the doctors poured over my medical notes and scans.
Then they sent us off for an MRI scan. They also checked
the flow up and down my spinal canal. In my case they
were happy that the spinal canal was clear with little
obstruction but were certain the spinal cord was broken
(an answer I was unable to hear or maybe I had deaf ears
to it). Due to this they did not see any point in doing open
surgery as there was no obstruction to clear and of course
at this stage there is no way of joining the spinal cord.
With all that information they then decided to do three IV
injections and six lumbar injections.
Within two days I was getting my first IV injection. The
stem cells are delivered once or twice a week depending
on their program directly from their lab in Beijing and
administered the same day. IV injections are the same as
any IV injection and are no problem.
The lumbar injections are however a bit more involved.
No food or liquids three hours before the injection. You
are then wheeled off in the bed to the operation room and
then given an injection of valium to sedate you while they
perform the lumbar injection. It is all over within thirty
minutes and your back in your room. Then you have to lie
flat on you are back for the next six hours without moving
your head!
I had no side effects from the injection, although maybe a
little headache from the change in pressure in your spinal
canal but nothing of great worry. The only other risk
associated with the procedure that I know of, is infection
in the spinal canal. Something I did get a little of but was
soon cleared up with some antibiotics. Along with the
injections once or twice a week the physio program is set
up for you six days of the week. In my case it consisted
of Acupuncture (good old Chinese medicine) first in the
morning, the idea of that being to stimulate nerve endings
below my break. Then electric wave therapy on my legs
to stimulate muscles and to help keep some muscle tone.
And then intensive physio working on muscles around
your injury trying to help your mobility and functions,
stretching of my legs along with some standing in a
standing frame.
Most of my afternoons were free (if I didn’t have injections)
to go out and wander the streets and see the sights
something we did regularly and thoroughly enjoyed.
China and its people are just so interesting. I could go on
about the sight we saw, China is a really must see place the
people are lovely and it is all so interesting and foreign.
After about the third injection I gained a little more feeling
down my chest about two inches. But nothing more after
that and this initial effect has since worn off as well. My
doctor looking after me was very good and spoke good
English so he was good to ask plenty of questions and did
not hold back on anything I wanted to know.
So of course the big question was what could I expect
given the information they now had. Well given that
my cord was broken he said not to expect motor neuron
function back. But there maybe was the chance of some
better feeling, easing of continual nerve pain, unlikely
regained bladder or bowel function. Anything had to
be a bonus though. I asked if I had a million dollars and
continued with the stem cell injections would that work?
His answer to that was the knowledge I needed to keep
hoping. What he said was needed was for America to
get back on course to continue with their research given
they had the biggest access to money and resources. In
his opinion doctors and scientists know that stem cells are
the answer to regenerating and growing damaged tissue.
What they need to do is understand a bit more about how
they work and identify, and to be able to get them to grow
in a uniform matter in a specified place. In the case of a
spinal cord injury to be able to open you up to the point
of injury, scrape back the dead scar tissue which forms at
5

NZST
STEM CELLS IN CHINA Continued
the end of the break (one of the main reasons spinal cords
don’t heal due to the scar tissue being allowed to form) then
bridge the gap with a membrane and then fill that void with
stem cells. Of course it is still unknown a little whether they
will bridge the gap and then still perform the functions of
the nervous system, but there is every belief they will and
studies are slowly confirming that they will. Interestingly
enough when I arrived back in New Zealand a week later
I went and listened to Noela Vallis – Chairwoman from
the Spinal Cord Society which has been wanting to fund
research into stem cells. She has a team of doctors and
scientists in Dunedin ready to start trials – pending ethics
committee approval.
Six weeks in China was a long way to be from home and
family, we left behind two kids but it was well worth the
trip and experience. I did not quite get the results I wished
for of course but I was not expecting to get up and walk. I
had to try something as there is nothing else to try at home
in the hope of a cure just the option of accepting it and
learning to live with it. Something nobody could imagine
to understand who is not in this situation whereby your life
has been turned upside down and ended up far from the
way you planned it. I did however leave there with a sense
of satisfaction and the physio work was very beneficial.
They, unlike a lot of other countries, are willing to try
something that I think is moving in the right direction with
what seems minimal risk.
Some kids there did gain back some of their eyesight.
One young guy who had an incomplete break damaged
through an operation did start to gain some feeling and
movement back. I believe stem cells are the answer, along
with some more work of course, but my question now is
if there are no side effects or rejection given they are our
own cells in some cases or stem cells from umbilical cords
which is generally waste material and the cells are in an
undifferentiated state not giving risk to rejection, why
isn’t every spinal cord injury treated with stem cells at the
time of the accident and given every chance of a recovery
or some recovery. I think that the less time anyone is left
bound to a wheel chair the better and I think that no one
deserves to be confined to one when there is every chance
they may not have to be.
I also think that there is everything to be gained by using
stem cells now on humans with very little risk, so why are
we waiting and denying those of half a chance?!
ROBERT stubbs
If any of our members has a similar experience that they would like to
share or have questions about any of the stories published, please don’t
hesitate to email
paulstafford@burwood.org.nz
PS with further investigation we found out that the full cost of the
trip came to approximately $60,000 NZ dollars.
Ed
6

HAVE WHEELS, WILL TRAVEL…
Robert Borwick of Nelson, a C5/6 tetraplegic, has recently
received a brand new Kia Carnival that he can drive himself.
I asked him how he has found it so far.
- How long have you had the car?
About a month or so
- How does it feel to be driving by yourself?
Fantastic!
It’s so great to have a massive form of independence
again, driving was so important to me as I guess it is for
anyone but it certainly has raised the smile on my face.
And thank you so much to Vehicle Adaption Services
- How was learning to drive with your arms?
I was a little nervous when I first did my driving
assessment - I thought about all of the what ifs, like
could I break in time, could I steer around corners; or
would I be wobbly while driving...
But as with everything after you do it for the first time
it gets better and better the more you do it. And now I
have a lot more confidence in my driving.
- Where have been driving so far?
I really enjoy drives out in the country I have driven
to Kaikoura, Blenheim, Motueka, Takaka, hopefully
Christchurch soon…..
john bourke
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7

WEDDING BELLS, HELL, AND A GOOD TIME
G
etting married never made my ‘must do’ list as a
young girl. I wanted a career, and coming from a
female dominated family, men were somewhat
superfluous to lifelong goals and aspirations.
After I broke my neck at age 17, I thought I’d never get
married, which didn’t bother me too much at the time.
I was more upset at no longer being able to do obscene
hand gestures at other motorists whilst driving (only in
emergencies mind!).
A year past, and once I learnt the art of applying eyeliner
with both hands, boys were soon lining up to court me
(initially to my surprise and suspicion … did they have a
wheelchair fetish I wondered?).
Prior to meeting my husband, I was engaged for four years
- we never got around to the actual wedding part. I’m
good at organising a dinner party but organising a wedding
was simply too scary and there was too much hard work
involved – I am a
lazy social organiser
and obviously don’t
have the standard
‘wedding’ gene
that the majority of
woman possess.
Then Jon came
along.
Perhaps it was
the fact that I had
hit 30, perhaps it
was because I was
besotted and headover-heals
in love
with my fantastic
catch, but suddenly
a wedding didn’t
seem like such a
scary beast, and
when Jon casually
suggested we
tie the knot over
Christmas while
my good friend
from Calgary was
in New Zealand, I agreed to do it. With a couple of months
up our sleeves, we relaxed and figured there would be
plenty of time to sort things out.
I knew a white dress was out of the question due to my
slap-happy masticating skills, so I decided on a dark green
Indian dress. The dress was hunted down by a warm and
gracious doctor, who informed me getting a green dress
from India wasn’t the easiest of tasks due to green being
a traditional Pakistan wedding colour (apparently there
have been a few issues between India and Pakistan).
A month before the wedding, I had my $300 authentic
Indian dress with jewellery and as far as I was concerned,
the rest would sort itself out. I was determined the wedding
wouldn’t leave us entrenched in an ocean of debt, so we
did everything on a tight budget. I even asked the guests
to ‘bring a plate’ on the invitations.
I also wanted to keep the guest list to a bare minimum.
Although my family are close, we aren’t big breeders and
weddings are not seen as important events. Jon being a Pom,
meant many of his family were overseas and were also unable
to make it. I breathed a sigh of relief. Probably my greatest fear
of getting married was walking down the isle and having one
hundred eyes transfixed on my constipated giraffe-looking
walk. Luckily we had a guest list of approximately 50 people
- this I could cope with… just.
We had also decided to have the ceremony up north in
Whangarei at Jon’s mum’s place. An avid gardener, Ruth
(Jon’s mum) began planting lots of flowers in her two acre
garden. She had also organised some work mates to help
out with extra food, and had put us onto a celebrant who
worked with her and could give us a good deal on ‘mates
rates’. All that was needed was the marquee in case of rain
and I figured everything was ready to go.
We arrived up north with our precious child-dog, Meesa,
and began finalising little details like what Jon was going
to wear, and how I
was going to get a
spray tan without
taking my clothes
off. I conceded to
wearing a paper
g-string and was
basted like a
turkey – not the
most dignified
of experiences
but the effect was
worth it.
What initially was
assumed would be
a leisurely week
of sunbathing
and sorting out
wedding tit-bits,
soon grew into an
untamed beast.
We had irate
relatives barking
out orders on
where they would
stay during the
wedding… hadn’t we organised this for them?…oops. Then
there was what the groom would wear, and with only one
day to shop before everything closed for Christmas, frantic
choices were made and a costume was thrown together
haphazardly. Shoes became a nightmare and although I was
keen on traipsing down the aisle in my socks, others were
not so keen with the idea. Suddenly everyone was in panic
stations. Tears were shed, arguments were exchanged, and
sleep became a distant memory.
But we made it to the day of the wedding all in one piece
– minus a few brain cells.
I had decided not to use the wheelchair at the wedding. The
ceremony was outside on grass which made it impractical,
and I wanted to make use of the wedding dress which bared
my freshly tanned midriff.
We had an evening ceremony which meant after the formal
vows, everyone was able to trot off to the marquee which stood
10 metres away, and gorge themselves on the feast prepared.
8

WEDDING BELLS, HELL, AND A GOOD TIME Continued
In terms of the ceremony itself, everything went smoothly,
apart from my skirt which tripped me up down the aisle.
As horrendous as that sounds, having Orbitals ‘Halcyon’
saturating my ears meant I was more interested in grooving
to the sweet beat, rather than focus on my tangled legs
as I made my way down the aisle. As I sat down on our
little ‘love seat’, we said our vows and had the traditional
wedding kiss, although unfortunately my darling Jon had
not brushed his teeth due to severe time constraints, so my
thoughts lay in the bacteria count littered in his mouth and
not ‘in the moment of the kiss’.
At 2am, a very weary, drunk and newly married Claire hit
the bed and promptly fell asleep. In terms of the whole
wedding, we had underestimated how much work is
involved in planning a wedding, and both of us were close
to nervous break-downs up until the event. On the up side,
it was a great test of the relationship and demonstrated
how amazing and supportive Jon is when I come close to
losing my marbles. I am determined never to go through
it again though and for everyone who re-does their vows,
I hope your families aren’t as monstrous as a few of mine
were! For those contemplating a wedding, good luck or
the best advice I can give is to elope.
End note. I must admit, this die-hard feminist will conclude by
saying that marriage does bring a sense of comfort, much like
a warm fart nestled in your pants. We now share a close bond
and our love for each other has grown and spread, ironing out
the jagged little pieces that once snagged the relationship.
However, let it be said, as much as I love and respect my
husband Jon, he will never, ever see me going to the toilet.
claire mackie
Expenses
Wedding clothes
Dress $300
Grooms outfit $100
Food $300
Alcohol $1000
Hirage of tent, port-a-loo and chairs $800
Invites $120
Rings $2000
Celebrant $200
Airfares and dog travel $1000
Total: $5820
(How to have a wonderful day on a limited budget!)
9

10
NZST CHARITY BALL
The 2009 NZST Charity Ball went off with a swirl and a
roar. We were lucky enough to have Rebecca Hobbs and
Aaron Gilmore as our guest celebrities for the night, and
I’m sure the whole room was in awe of their incredible
ballroom dancing skills. They even allowed us to auction
off a dance with each of them. This was won by two lucky
people who were spun around the great art gallery foyer
with style and grace.
Initially hoping for around 300 attendees, tickets peaked
at 170 which plumped out the foyer nicely. Alchemy did a
great job of providing people with delicious hors d’oeurves
and drinks at the ready, and for the NZST staff who had
put in so much time organising the event, it was agreed
it was worth the effort, both in terms of money raised
approximately $12,000 and the fun had by all.
The art gallery proved to be a fantastic venue yet again, with
it’s sweeping glass walls, and industrial chic style. Barock
also provided not only brilliantly orchestrated music, but
there was something for everyone, with splatters of jazz,
folk, soft rock and some great classics. There weren’t many
who didn’t dance the night away with a mish-mash of feet
and wheelchairs hitting the dance floor.
At least for one night, people were able to get glammed
up and forget about the recession, which for charities in
particular is starting to sting the purse strings. There will
definitely be something to look forward to next year as
the NZST Ball becomes a permanent fixture in the social
calendar.
CLAIRE mackie

CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL
T h e
Christchurch
A c c e s s i b l e
Map will be
available in
May from the
Christchurch
City Council.
This map gives
i n f o r m a t i o n
about the
a c c e s s i b l e
Gloria Weeks, Karen Rickerby, Hemi Hema,
t o i l e t s ,
Doreen McCoard, Simon Atkinson, Anne
mobility parks,
Scott, Josje Lelijveld Front Row- Kerri
b u i l d i n g s ,
Bonner, Graham Tapper, Rachel Mullins
attractions and
accommodation. It will be available free from a number
of Council outlets such as Service Centres and Libraries,
Disability organisations and tourist information places.
The Council has recently been consulting on a number
of documents. The consultation currently is on the Long
Term Council Community Plan, which guides Council
projects and spending for next 10 years. The Council is
keen to engage as many people as possible in the planning
process, so your feedback is valuable.
Another new service to be introduced in Christchurch
recently is the three wheelie bin system. This is gradually
starting up throughout the city. Some assistance is available
for people who have mobility impairments that mean they
can not get their bin to the kerb and have no assistance
from elsewhere to take their bin out. To find out if you are
eligible contact the Council Call Centre on 941-8666.
The Council’s Disability Advisory Group continue to work
on improving access in the city. They have been involved
in projects such as the upgrade of the Council’s website,
the Travel Demand Strategy, the new Wheelie Bin system,
the Equity and Access Policy implementation project and
the new Bus Interchange. They continue to work hard
to represent what is required to remove barriers. Please
contact Graham Tapper at Burwood if you have any
comments you want to put through to this group. The
group was also extremely proud of Kerri Bonner (who is
our Youth Representative) who won the Attitude Award
for Youth in December 2008. Congratulations to Kerri
and it is wonderful to have her skills and leadership
acknowledged.
Finally, I’d like to congratulate the NZ Spinal Trust on the
fantastic event it held on Saturday night with their Annual
Ball. This was a wonderful occasion and the Art Gallery
was an impressive venue. If you didn’t make it there this
year then make sure you try and attend next time as it was
an enjoyable evening.
karen rickerby
ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY WELLINGTON
Competition to make Council
homes more user-friendly
Wellington City architects have the opportunity to enter
a design competition to make the Council’s housing units
easier to live in.
The competition, launched at today’s Accessible Wellington
Forum on Housing and Accommodation at Te Papa, will
run until 3 July.
Entrants are required to design an upgrade to a typical
Council housing complex consisting of four bed-sit units,
with a focus on making them more practical for everyone,
regardless of mobility or age, to live in. Several small
complexes with similar plans are currently being upgraded
as part of the Council’s Housing Upgrade Project.
The Council’s Accessibility Advisor, Sinead Roe, says the
competition will require entrants to think about design
that is practical and looks good.
“The challenge for entrants is to come up with a userfriendly
design that is creative and affordable. There is
a need for fresh, imaginative building design as many
people need to modify their homes to suit their changing
needs. This could be due to a loss of mobility or illness
but shows there is a need for flexible living spaces which
allow people to live comfortably.
“Adapting existing buildings does pose significant issues
and the Council encourages entries based on practical
designs to kitchen, bathroom and storage layouts to meet
tenants’ needs over time.”
All entries must be completed by a registered architect
or under the direction of a
registered architect, and should
be prepared to the preliminary
design stage, including the cost
of the design. Entries will be
judged on the use of Universal
Design Principles and the
Lifetime Design Foundation’s
Life Standards.
The winner will be asked to enter
negotiations with the Council’s
Housing Upgrade Project to
develop their proposal with a
view to constructing the design.
A total prize pool of $4000 is
available. The prize for the
selected finalist will be $2000,
with additional prizes of $1000
awarded to finalists placed in the
top three.
More information and
competition guidelines can be
found on the Council’s website
www.Wellington.govt.nz/
For further information, please
contact:
Sinead Roe, Accessibility
Advisor, 803 8661
Michelle Brooker, Council
Communications, 801 3281 or
mob 021 227 8170.
Sinead roe
11

2008 AUSTRALIAN AND NZ SPINAL CORD
SOCIETY ANNUAL SCIENTIFIC MEETING.
T
he Burwood Spinal Unit (BSU) hosted the 2008
Australian and New Zealand Spinal Cord Society
Annual Scientific Meeting. Whilst this is an
annual conference Christchurch last hosted our
multidisciplinary colleagues from throughout Australasia in 1996.
Principle sponsor was the Accident Compensation Corporation.
There was a flurry of activity around the registration desk on
the Wednesday morning as participants collected their Dysport
sponsored conference satchel. Names were put to faces and the
networking was already beginning. Mudipharma sponsored
the lanyards, behind the name badge was a mini programme.
No excuses for being late or lost!
Pre conference sessions were held on the Wednesday morning
and then it was time for the formalities to begin. Hector
Matthews welcomed our visitors in the traditional Maori way
with a Mihimihi. Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker opened the
ceremony and expressed his delight in welcoming our nearly
300 visitors to our magnificent city and the wider Canterbury
region. He also left us with a lasting memory – that in the
form of Shagger Acland. Picking up on the joke Bob shared
re a hermit potentially lost in the snow, Rick picked up on this
title and needless to say the photo memories we now have
will haunt him for some time to come (that and the friendly
plastic sheep he now owns!)
A recent change by the ANZSCoS executive is to ensure
that each year a different discipline is the keynote speaker.
As a member of the nursing profession I was excited
that in 2008 it was the year for nursing to undertake the
keynote address. Dr Fintan Sheerin from Trinity College
in Dublin, Ireland provided a thought provoking address
about attitudes towards persons with disability. This
differed from his original abstract of detailing the journey
after acute spinal cord injury (SCI). At the beginning of his
session he detailed a conversation with someone he met
who had a SCI who told him as an able bodied person he did
not have the right personal experiences to undertake such a
talk. Although Dr Sheerin is an expert professional in the field
of spinal cord nursing he listened to the advice he was given.
Nevertheless his entertaining presentation should last in our
memories and remind us to critique our attitudes towards all
forms of disability both within the acute, rehabilitation and
community environments.
Stephanie Williams – CEO, ANZSCIN then provided
an overview of the Australia New Zealand Spinal Cord
Injury Network and their role in facilitating SCI research.
Stephanie stressed that whilst their motto is communication,
collaboration and cure they respect all fields of SCI research.
Using cure is contentious for some but for sponsors/funders
and those donating the word “cure” is more attractive. For
further information about ANZSCIN go to their website
www.anzscin.org.
This year the Discipline Specific Meetings included
Vocational Rehabilitation for the first time, a factor that the
BSU can be very proud, of as Arron Perriam and the rest of his
Kaleidoscope Team who are now also based at the Auckland
Spinal Rehabilitation Unit play an extremely important role
within the rehabilitation team. From the reports I heard each
discipline had a very productive meeting.
The Welcoming Ceremony saw us all pile into the trade
hall to view all the sponsors that were enticing us with
their products An entertaining performance from the
Papanui High School’s Kapa Haka group was met with
rapturous applause.
Our theme was “Where to from Here?” Asking the
questions was catergorised into four themes. “Can we
fix it?”, “What is rehabilitation?”, “Can we stop ourselves
from wearing out?” and “Use it or Lose it?” A priority of
the Organising Committee which included Dr Rick Acland,
Dr Leanne Parker, Julian Verkaaik, Jo Nunnerley, Jason
Nicholls and myself was to increase the involvement of
persons with SCI and therefore, the four keynote sessions
was introduced by an individual with a SCI who had a close
association with the question being asked. The DD & DF
Heads Charitable Trust made this possible by providing
eleven scholarships for persons with SCI to attend.
The scientific content was put together by a group of
multidisciplinary individuals from throughout the BSU
as well as some assistance from representatives from the
Burwood Academy of Independent Living and the New
Zealand Spinal Trust to ensure the voice of the person
with SCI was also heard. The scientific committee had an
arduous task. Over 80 abstracts were received and these
were assessed, catergorised, debated over and finally we
made a decision on who would present orally and those
who would be accepted as a poster.
Over 50 poster presentations were perused throughout the
three days of the conference during morning and afternoon
tea and at lunchtimes – lots of networking achieved around
several posters. The theme first up on Thursday morning
was “Can we fix it?” and the invited speaker Dr Michael
Fehlings was introduced by Hamish Ramsden on behalf of
Catriona Williams and the Catwalk Trust who sponsored
the session. (www.catwalk.org.nz)
Dr Fehlings, a highly respected professor of neurosurgery
and the Krembil Chari in Neural Repair and Regeneration
provided insight into the significant advances in
minimising the impact of secondary injury following SCI
and promoting neural regeneration. He discussed several
trials being conducted within this field thus providing
meaningful data that attaining effective treatments for SCI
will one day not be just a pipedream.
After morning tea Rob Macdonald introduced Pat Dorsett
to speak to the New Zealand Spinal Trust sponsored theme
of “What is rehabilitation?”
Using qualitative data Pat advised us that there are many
personal factors and structural issues that affect “what is
12

ehabilitation: Rehabilitation has changed over the last ten
years”. Pat proposed a model of adjustment to SCI.
The Alan Clarke Memorial Lecture is an annual event
jointly held by the Burwood Academy of Independent
Living and the University of Otago, Christchurch. This
year it was held in conjunction with the conference. Julian
Verkaaik representing BAIL and Justin Roake representing
the UoO,C introduced Dr Robin Youngson who stated that
he was honoured to be invited to present the Alan Clarke
Memorial Lecture. He delivered a magnificent presentation
on the need for compassion in the medical profession.
Jennifer Dunn and Dr Alistair Rothwell provided an update
on Hand Surgery in New Zealand at the Friday morning
breakfast session.
Richard Smaill secured sponsorship from the Health Research
Council of NZ and the Canterbury Medical Research
Foundation enabling us to invite Dr Susie Charlifue from
Colorado, USA to present to us her experience of aging in
SCI under the topic of Can we stop ourselves from wearing
out? Paul Stafford with his 20 plus years of experience after
SCI was an appropriate choice to introduce Susie. Susie, a
psychologist by trade has a wealth of experience relating to
the likely health and psychological complications that occur
in the years following a SCI.
She presented findings from a longitudinal study that has
spanned over 15 years which evaluated physical, practical
and emotional impact of the process of ageing with SCI.
These included cardiovascular risk factors and bladder
and bowel changes. Psychologically, participants reported
on the changing patterns of life satisfaction, perceived
stress, depressive symptomology, global quality of life and
community participation.
Our last invited speaker was introduced by Bill Gruar. The
last keynote session was titled “Use or lose it?”. Professor
Richard Faull is certainly an expert in his field as well as public
speaking. He presented his work on regeneration in the
brain at a level that everyone in the room could understand.
Research has shown enhanced stem cell proliferation and
neurogenesis in the diseased human brain which indicates
that the brain has the capacity to repair itself through the
production of new replacement neurons. A pathway for
neurogenesis in the human brain has also been identified.
This suggests that there is a possibility that stems cells in the
adult human brain may provide a means for new treatment
strategies for brain diseases. It was very captivating and
hopefully one day this research in the brain will be able to
be replicated in the spinal cord. In the afternoon Dr Xiong
chaired a panel discussion regarding the timing of reduction of
cervical spine dislocations, surgical fixation and appropriate
use of investigations. Also, ethical dilemmas in relation to
a patient’s choice to die and decision on not reclassifying a
patient based on medical grounds.
The last session to wrap up the conference before the
evening entertainment began was kicked off by Rick Acland.
Representatives from the Perth Spinal Unit provided a brief
introduction to next year’s annual scientific meeting which
will be held from 25-27 November 2009. Their theme follows
on from ours – Are we there yet? Register your interest on
www.anzscos2009.org.au.
Fintan Sheerin also brought it all together. He stated he was
honoured to be here and it was one of the best conferences
he had attended. “ANZSCoS is also somewhat unique in
that it is truly interdisciplinary, recognising and valuing the
contributions from all participants in the team – persons with
spinal compromise, professionals, researchers and carers. I
don’t think that I have experienced such collegiality before.”
He stressed the need to work collaboratively locally, nationally
and internationally – across all disciplines and of course with
persons with SCI. If you missed it the conference, the entire
conference proceedings are on DVD.
It was now time to put on the frocks and gladrags and network
in the best way possible – the conference dinner.
Shagger Acland was once again our MC. He started the evening
by thanking our Conference Dinner Sponsor Medtronic. It was
then down to thanking all our invited speakers and to present
them with a little token of kiwiana. Finally it was time to thank
the keynote speaker Fintan Sheerin who also had a gift for Rick.
A shearer’s singlet with Shagger Acland on the front and toilet
man on the back (I still don’t think he would know where to
direct those in need to go, where to go!!) The shearer’s singlet
was accompanied by some gumboots and a blow up sheep!!!
All of a sudden the sound of riverdance was heard and the
raucous laughter continued as Rick and Fintan danced across
the stage.
It was then time to eat, drink and dance the night away with
Barock entertaining us all. But the surprises weren’t over yet as
Julian Verkaaik showed what a talented man he is and thrilled
us all with his rockstar performance. The dance floor was
jammed! For the organising committee it was hard to believe
it was all over. Two of the best decisions we made were firstly,
to host the conference at the Christchurch Convention Centre.
What a magnificent venue. Secondly, Conference Innovators –
Fantastic – without the expert assistance of Helen Shrewsbury
and Rachelle it would have not run so smoothly.
karen marshall
13

MY ANZSCoS CONFERENCE
I was one of the fortunate recipients that received a
scholarship from the DD Heads Trust to attend the ANZSCoS
Conference held in Christchurch – November 2008. This
being my first ANZSCoS Conference combined with
knowing little about the area of SCI (spinal cord injury), I
didn’t really know what kind of conference to expect, and
what I would gain from this. After the first day, I soon
realised that attending this conference was a great way
to learn and extend my knowledge about the area of SCI,
while also increasing my understanding around some of the
key elements & aspects to a person’s spinal rehabilitation
journey. It gave me a greater insight into the area of SCI
and different aspects to the rehabilitation process. I had
the opportunity to learn about some of the latest research
trends and rehabilitation approaches overseas, and what’s
effective and what’s not, in and around the area of SCI.
Attending the ANZSCoS Conference also gave me the
opportunity to network with both people who have spinal
injuries themselves, as well as those who work both in NZ
and also overseas in the area of SCI.
Relating my ANZSCoS experience to some of my own
difficult times which I’ve experienced in life so far, such
as having a speech impediment, I believe that even if
your role in a person’s rehabilitation journey isn’t always
big and dramatic , it could be something as simple as
just being there to encourage someone along the way
during the rehabilitation process. You as one of their
support avenues, in what ever role that maybe. It may
not seem a big deal to you, but in the eyes of the person
going through the rehabilitation process it might mean
everything and a contributing factor to the final outcome
in their rehabilitation. By attending conferences and
other professional development events, even though
they might not always be in the area where you know
heaps about, it provides an opportunity for one to extend
beyond your comfort zones and learn about areas which
maybe totally new to you. Sometimes by learning about
things which we might not be familiar with, we are then
in a better position to educate others and the wider
community.
Marty Van der kley
Ortho-Bionomy is a gentle, non-invasive form of body
therapy. It is highly effective in working with pain associated
14

LET FLY!
Let Fly is about a passion for flying and a battle against bureaucracy.
Barry Cardno had always wanted to be a pilot being
inspired by his two boyhood heroes Sir Tim Wallis and
his uncle Peter Plew. Right from a young age he was hellbent
on getting his pilot’s licence as soon as possible after
leaving school and did so after a short stint working at the
Customs Department. Being keen to get his foot in the door
for top-dressing flying he managed to get a job as a loader
driver which was a common way that pilots did their
“apprenticeship”, the low-level aerial man oeuvres of topdressing
piloting appealed to him. He soon found however
in his first two jobs that training and safety standards were
severely compromised due to time constraints and efforts
to maximize profits.
On 8th of May 1995 as a naïve 21-year-old keen to impress
his boss who was away for a few days he had an accident,
his short life as a pilot was shattered. So serious were his
injurie that he was kept in a coma for two weeks, suffering
amongst other injuries, spinal (paraplegia) and a brain
injuries. Investigations after the accident tended to indicate
pilot error as the cause, causing great distress to Barry as
he felt no consideration was given to aircraft maintenance,
safety standards, training or time constraints.
Rehabilitation was slow and arduous but Barry was keen to
get back into life. After about a year he got a part-time job
back at customs following this up with a stint in America
learning to be a disabled flyer, then back in Wanaka he
developed a passion for skiing. His desire to fly again was
undiminished but due to the bureaucratic hoops he had
to go through as a result of the accident he lost motivation
until he came into contact with Sir Archibald McIndoe’s
Guinea Pig Club, a club of pilots seriously injured and
burnt during World War Two.
After years of perseverance on the 6th of August 2006
Barry got medical clearance and got his unrestricted pilots
licence. Since his accident Barry’s battle has been with The Civil
Aviation Authority and the Transport Accident Investigation
Commission. He feels that the investigators into aerial top
dressing accidents continue to ignore fatigue, excessive
pressure to fly, lack of
training and poorly
maintained aircraft.
The book deals well
with Barry’s passion
and obstinace to get
back into the cockpit
but the overriding
theme is his
impression, or lack
thereof of standards
in the aerial top
dressing industry.
Let Fly, written
by Barry Cardno,
published by
Longacre Press 2009
15

UP AND AWAY ON A DC3
Last year at the CatWalk “Up and Away” Charity Auction
and Dinner, a flight was purchased by James Flynn,
owner of Coverstaff Recruitment. Coverstaff took only
four seats and they arranged for Hamish Ramsby to
make the remaining seats availiable to the staff at
the Burwood Spinal Unit and the NZ Spinal Trust.
Admittedly, I was at the Ball and thought to myself how
marvelous it would be to go on the flight, so was delighted
to learn that the Spinal Trust had also been gifted nine
seats.
Saturday rolled around and Christchurch awoke
to a picture perfect day with blue skies and perfect
temperatures. Everyone assembled in one of the hangers
out at the airport and enjoyed a few delicious treats from
Ma Maison before boarding the DC3.
As we gobbled down our delicious treats, the star of the
show arrived, buffed and quietly austere. Although not
a great rugby fan, I had my photo taken with Mr Richie
McCaw and politely questioned his flight capabilities. He
seemed to know his stuff so I accepted him as a welcome
member o f the group, after all, it’s always handy to have
another pilot on board.
There were five of us with spinal injuries who had signed
up for the ride, and although we could all muster a few
steps, four went up in the forklift while I sat by and
waited for the steps to be brought over. It wasn’t because
I preferred to walk up the steps with red carpet attached
(although showing off my retro 1940’s coat was a bonus),
it was more to do with blood pressure and being unable to
stand still on the forklift for too long.
After everyone was seated and emergency exits had been
pointed out, the plane took off. The first thing I noticed
was that the plane seemed to stay level as it took off, no
steep inclines were felt, just a gentle glide up to the 1000
feet mark.
We circled around Christchurch city which was bathed in
sunlight and then flew over to Banks Peninsula. Everything
below us lay in miniature form and it was great to gain a
better insight into distances and proportions which in a
car can seem so different.
After the half hour flight, we circled back towards the
airport and landed perfectly. Richie then announced he was
giving the five wheelchair passengers a rugby ball signed
by him. As I accepted my ball, I thought to myself, should I
take up rugby? I then felt a pang of guilt as I realised I was
probably the most unenthusiastic rugby buff Christchurch
had ever seen. I wondered whether Richie had been able
to tell that I knew nothing about him apart from the fact
he was a sports star, maybe cricket or rugby or something
involving a ball? Blasphemous!
Everyone piled out of the plane and wandered back into
the hanger to have yet some more yummy munchies, a
perfect end to a perfect outing.
From everyone at the Spinal Trust and Burwood Spinal
Unit, a big thank you goes out to James Flynn for giving
us all such a magical memory I’m sure people won’t forget
for a long time to come.
CLAIRE mackie
16

ORTHOBIONOMY
with acute and chronic stress, injury and problems associated
with postural and structural imbalances. It was developed by
British osteopath Dr Arthur Lincoln Pauls. From his experiences
as a Judo instructor and through his training as an osteopath,
he developed ways of working with the body that honoured
the bodys’ inherent wisdom and used its innate ability to self
correct and self heal.
Ortho-Bionomy supports the self-correction capacity of the
person through the use of gentle movement and positioning
of the body combined with light compression into the joints
in order to facilitate the flow of energy and a deep sense of
relaxation. The Practitioner works with the body to facilitate
the change of stress and pain patterns.
Long lasting changes are initiated
by re-educating the clients body
so that it can effectively maintain
balance and optimal function on
its own.
A strong focus is placed on the
comfort of the individual. No
force or manipulations are used.
The Practitioner may recommend
exercises that can be done at
home to facilitate the healing
process initiated in the session.
Ortho-Bionomy works by
stimulating the body’s self
correcting and self balancing
reflexes by way of the appropriate
nerve receptors located in
our joints and muscles. The
Practitioner uses movement
and gentle compression to find
positions of comfort that allow
the body to release stress and pain
patterns which are contributing
to the discomfort.
By slightly exaggerating these
positions of comfort, the nervous system registers the
feedback from the proprioceptors and stimulates a relaxation
response which allows the body to re-align itself. In this
way the Practitioner is able to release pain patterns without
causing pain.
Clients report experiencing pain relief, increased range
of motion, greater ease of motion, structural realignment,
increased relaxation, more efficient functioning on all
levels, a greater sense of wellbeing, postural balance,
energy systems balance, faster healing process, increased
vitality, emotional balance, and an increased sense of
wholeness.
Because of the gentle and non-invasive nature of the work, an
Ortho-Bionomy Practitioner can work with many different
problems and conditions such as muscle and joint pain,
injuries, chronic pain conditions, structural imbalances,
autoimmune disturbances and general stress conditions.
Common conditions Ortho-Bionomy can address include:
Painful ankles and feet
Joint pain and injuries
Aches and pains
Whiplash
Repetitive strain injuries
Chronic neck and back pain
Post-surgery rehabilitation - joint replacements
Scoliosis and kyphosis
Fibromyalgia
Trauma
Headaches and migraines
Sciatic pain
MEIKA’S TESTIMONY.
I have been a paraplegic for the past 17 years and have now been
attending orthobionomy sessions with Sheryl on a regular basis
for the past 2 years.
Prior to finding out about orthobionomy,
I had been having regular massage to help
with back/shoulder and neck pain. I did
find the massage good, however, the pain
would return after only a few days and the
problem never seemed to be fixed.
My introduction to orthobionomy was
through a friend who’d had good results
and so I thought that I’d give it a try.
After the first session, I found instant
relief to my pain and on returning home
had extremely relaxed arms and shoulders
to the point that they felt floppy as I was
so used to them being stiff. I also found
that my balance was much improved and
seemed to come more from within my
internal core rather than by me trying
to hold it with muscles. After a session,
sleeping was bliss!
Longer term, after regular sessions, I
found that I could maintain this balance
and also stay relatively pain free. I also
found improvement with my circulation
which aided in warmer legs and feet and
also helped with skin and healing quite significantly. There was
noticeable muscle tone improvement in the muscles below my
level of injury that hadn’t worked in years; this included my butt
which is great when sitting all day.
Extending on from this, other improvements that have been
noticeable and permanent for well over a year is my posture, with
my scoliosis nearly gone.
I now have a greater awareness of my body and where my legs are,
and have started to have some stomach and lower back muscles
return.
I am now pregnant with my second baby and have been finding
the sessions really helpful with the changing of my pelvis. This has
really helped my upper body in terms of being more comfortable
and with having room for the baby with sitting all day and helping
with my breathing.
Overall I have experienced some extremely good results and would
recommend having regular orthobionomy sessions to anybody.
claire mackie
Sheryl Ladkin
Registered Ortho-Bionomist
Ph: (03) 980 4225 Cell: 021 165 7454 laughing_crow@hotmail.com
17

A MOTORSPORT TALENT ~
NEVER TO BE STUBBED OUT
At the 2007 New Zealand Jetsprint Championship
prizegiving I presented the Rookie of the year award to
Robert Stubbs or Stubbsie to his friends. In his first season
Jetsprinting Stubbsie drove to an impressive fourth place
in the Group A Championship.
Jetsprinting is an action packed thrilling motorsport on
water. A jetsprint course consists of a series of channels
3 to 5 metres in width, with a water depth up to 1 metre.
Boats have a two-person crew, driver and navigator, and
run individually against the clock through the channels
in a predetermined order. Competitors are given a
diagrammatic directional map which forms the correct
racing rotation. The drivers and navigators study and
memorise the layout that will have between 25 to 30
directional changes in a run that takes 45 to 65 seconds
to complete. The navigator indicates the next change in
direction by hand signals, although some competitors
are using intercom systems. Each competitor has
three qualifying runs, with the fastest 16 in each class
progressing to the elimination rounds that are raced on
the “sudden-death” principle. The field is halved in each
round, reducing from 16 to 8 to 4, down to the two crews
that contest the Final.
Whilst the Superboats have no engine restrictions the
Group A class does. This popular international class
attracts the largest competitor entries of the three classes.
Racing is fiercely competitive and every year the standard
of equipment and level of professionalism steps up, usually
only fractions of a second separate each driver, action
packed jetsprint racing at its best! Engines are restricted to
412 cubic inch engines with iron block and cylinder heads
and a maximum of 8 cylinders. Cylinder heads restricted
to OEM 23 degree with two valves per cylinder, pushrod
operated. Wet sump lubrication system. Induction via
single 4-barrel carburetor. 100 octane Avgas fuel. Engines
not exceeding 365 cubic inches maximum capacity may be
fitted with aluminium cylinder heads conforming to the
rules. Generally Chevrolet and Ford V8 engines share
common rules, but specific components are listed by part
number. The top motors produce up to 630 horsepower.
After the success of his first season Stubbsie was hooked
and a new boat was ordered in order to compete in the
2008 season. However tragedy was to strike in August
2007 when a motorcross event went horribly wrong.
On the 5th August while competing in a local club race
day he was involved in an accident with a number of bikes
and fell heavily. After being concussed he came to with the
realisation of everybody’s worst fear – he could not feel
his legs!
Stubbsie was airlifted to Auckland’s Middlemore Hospital
that night with a dislocation of T3/4 vertebrae, three
broken ribs, two broken bones in his left hand, and severe
muscle and tissue damage to his left shoulder after falling
and being hit by other bikes.
He spent a month at Middlemore after being operated
on and then the next three months at Auckland Spinal
Rehabilitation Unit rehabilitating to the changes of life that
come with a spinal cord injury. This was a tough time given
how physically active he was with sport and directing his
own logging business. Luckily he had strong support from
Tanya his partner and kids Jalea and Regan, the rest of his
family and very close friends he had surrounded himself
with through his life.
One thing about Stubbsie is that he is honest and up front.
He openly admits he struggled with his injury and the
impact it had on his life.
After his Rookie success Stubbsie desperately wanted to be
back racing. Rex Briant – the current New Zealand Group
A champion and owner of the White Pointer boats was
adamant that it could be done and together these mates
were determined to see him back out on the water.
They had the hull – Rex’s own champion raced White
Pointer Stinger and the engine a 406 chev which puts out
about 630hp. That was the easy part. At 6ft – getting him
up over the side of the hull, past the roll cage without injury
to himself or others meant devising a hoist system. The
hoist is a White Pointer made gantry which is mounted on
the boat trailer. It has a boat trailer super winch fitted to it.
To avoid using a hoist sling some lifting straps have been
sewn into Stubbsie’s overalls. A couple of karabiners are
attached and he is winched into the driver’s seat.
Safety is paramount in the jetsprinting sport, alongside
flame proof overalls, neck braces, helmets, gloves
and shoes, five point safety belts keep the drivers and
navigators from being tossed around. To prevent his legs
from moving and causing potential injuries to his lower
limbs they are strapped down to the bottom of the boat
through a couple of eyes. The strap is then hooked to the
quick release on the safety belts. In case of emergency out
on the track if the safety belts are released so are his legs.
That way he can be assisted out of the boat in a hurry by
the RSQKRU.
Fire is a potential hazard and so an on board fire system
was installed so either Stubbsie or his navigator can just
turn the nozzle on the fire extinguisher and it will suppress
any fire in the engine compartment. This sounds drastic
18

ut a plan of action for worst case scenarios needed to be
accommodated. A rollover that ends upside down in the
water can also occur. In case of this emergency an aqua
lung has been fitted underneath the driver’s seat. The
mouth piece is velcroed to Stubbsie’s leg on his race suit.
So when racing so he can grab it and carry on breathing
until help arrives if he ends up upside down in the water–
which has happened to others and help arrived within 8
seconds!
So with the safety side covered all that was left was to
devise the controls to drive the boat. No brakes so that
one was easy! Devising the throttle proved to be more of
a challenge. After several attempts they settled on their
design of a half steering wheel with motorbike twist grip
slipped on it for throttle control. However, double the
concentration is required to manoeuvre around the track
when using a hand controlled throttle – speed is necessary
to propel the boat forward and around the tight twisty
track – buttoning off
at the wrong time
can have dramatic
c o n s e q u e n c e s .
Stubbsie has not only
mastered this skill
but has also proven
to be competitive
throughout the season.
During 2007 Stubbsie
double drove “Dirty
Water” with mate
Steve Lafferty. Steve
had no hesitation in
jumping into the silly
seat to navigate for
Stubbsie this season.
Steve had previously
navigated for Rex Briant who played a vital part in getting
Stubbsie back on the water. When talking about Stubbsie
returning to the sport there is evidence of emotion in Rex’s
voice. He undoubtedly would do anything for his mate in
order to see him racing competitively again. Glenn Mason
(Rex’s navigator) is another key person in this crew. Rex,
Glenn and Steve all competently transfer Stubbsie from
Quad Bike/Wheelchair to Driver’s seat and vice versa via
the winch and hoist system efficiently. This is because a
quick crew change is vital in order to get back to the launch
ramp for the second crew to complete their qualifying
or elimination round. A Quad Bike makes it easier for
Stubbsie to move around the pits and to check out the rest
of the competitors from the viewing area of the track.
Now the story would not be complete without the touchy
feely stuff and the impact that participating in a sport that
sends the adrenaline skyhigh has had. Stubbsie says “Being
back in the boat has given me back the adrenalin rush I
used to thrive on and never thought would experience
again. One minute while racing where being paralysed is
put to the back of your mind for a change and forgotten
about even if it is just for a minute.”
Stubbsie explains that jetsprinting has given him
something to look forward to and be motivated for. He
now has the opportunity to spend many enjoyable hours
in the workshop with mates working on the boat. Not to
mention getting out of town when racing and catching up
with all the good people involved in jetsprinting who are
all very supportive and encouraging. I guess that even
meant me when I asked “are you hands painted on” when
he wanted me to push his chair across the uneven ground
to attend drivers briefing.
Stubbsie reflects back to when he was in hospital. “All
these things when you are sitting in the rehab unit go
round and round in your head and you are left thinking
it is all stuff you will never be able to do again, life will be
boring and has pretty much ended for you!”
“Sure it’s not the same and never will be – getting in and
out of the boat, working on the boat etc, but my mates are
happy to do all those bits for me while I sit there annoying
them helping where I can. They are just happy to see the
smile and enjoyment I get from having a good run and
competing against able bodied people.”
The 2009 New Zealand
Jetsprinting Championship
kicked off in Wanganui on
January 27th. Getting time
in the seat and improving
at each meeting is the focus
for the time being. This did
not stop him from entering
The Hire Company
UIM World Jetsprinting
Championship which was
held on Jan 3rd and 4th at
Meremere and Jan 10th and
11th in Featherston. He is
now ranked 16th in the
world.
However Stubbsie has
already proven that he is
competitive. Recently he competed in the second round
of the NZ Championship racing to 7th place at his home
track in Gisborne. The aim of this season is too improve his
times and position as his confidence and technique grows.
In his last run of the championship he ended a credible
9th and finished the 2009 season in 8th place. Although
he was hoping for a better result he has gained valuable
track time and will be one to watch in the future and will
be aiming for a podium spot when racing begins again at
the end of the year.
Live viewing of this season’s Jetsprinting championship
is now complete. However coverage of the 2009 New
Zealand Jetsprinting Championships and The 2009 Hire
Company UIM World Championships will feature on Sky
Sports and TV3 – which commenced early February. There
is some action still available to watch on www.speedbox.
tv. It is free to watch once you register. The UIM World
Jetsprint Championship is being held again in Australia
in November. All NZ crews are frantically trying to find
sponsorship to head across the Tasman. This time there
should be several American crews also taking up the
World Challenge. Keep up to date with future events and
of course with Stubbsie’s progress on www.jetsprint.co.nz
and www.jetpro.co.nz.
robert stubbs
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Photos of
ball
20
2