SNN July 2018

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Left to right Crusaders; Mike Alaatatoa and Owen Franks with Forwards Coach Ryan Jason Ryan, and Hans Wouters, CEO of the New Zealand Spinal Trust CRUSADERS VISIT THE BURWOOD SPINAL UNIT By Zahra Shahtahmasebi 12 The rugby culture in New Zealand is undeniable. The Rugby Union is our version of Hollywood; the players are our A-list celebrities. You can’t help but feel a little star-struck at the chance to meet them in person. The Crusaders rugby team puts this perspective to good use in the charity work it does. Team members are frequent visitors to the Burwood Spinal Unit, whenever they have time between training and matches. In early March, two Crusaders; Owen Franks and Mike Alaalatoa alongside Forwards Coach, Jason Ryan, paid an hour-long visit to the Spinal Unit. Patients from both the Spinal Unit and the Brain Injury Unit were invited to attend and meet the players. The impact of this visit was massive; good vibes filled the unit, with patients, staff, and players all pleased to have the opportunity to interact with each other. Down in the Spinal Unit, two weeks later, posters still covered the walls, and the positive atmosphere continued to linger. New Zealand Spinal Trust Chief Executive Officer, Hans Wouters, thought the event was fantastic and was happy with how it went. It was clear to see how the patients, in particular, were uplifted by the rugby players who came. Hans said there’s a certain feeling of ‘Groundhog Day’ within the unit when nothing out of the ordinary really happens. So having events like this helps to break up the everyday monotony and bring a little excitement. Hans believed it wouldn’t matter if the players were from a different sport – anyone nationally famous - even politicians - would have the same impact and bring warmth and sunshine to the patients’ lives. The Crusaders visit whenever they can – at least once or twice a year. The All Blacks have even visited at times, when they’ve been hosted by the Canterbury Rugby Football Union (CRFU). Aside from personal visits, the CRFU also provides the BSU with 12 free tickets for each home game in the ITM cup and the Super Rugby Season. These tickets are distributed by peer support worker Brett Ladbrook, who attends the match along with the patients. For some, it will be their first time out in a wheelchair and it can begin as an intimidating and overwhelming experience. But Wouters, who also attends the matches, spoke of the immense positive impact this has by providing a safe environment to facilitate a great experience. The BNZ Crusaders, the CRFU and the Canterbury District Health Board Burwood Spinal Unit (BSU) have a long-standing relationship, which was established and avidly maintained by Graham Tapper, a former CDHB employee. The importance of this relationship is huge, with rugby being a significant contributor to spinal cord injuries in its early days. Now fewer rugby players are coming through the Spinal Units – in fact, cycling has become the biggest contributor to spinal cord injuries. Unfortunately, Graham Tapper passed away in 2013, and it seemed then that the opportunity for this partnership was lost. However, Hans arrived on the scene, as Project Manager of the New Zealand Spinal Trust. He had collaborated with the Crusaders in his previous work and learned the Burwood Spinal Unit also had a history with them. After being given the goahead by Liz Oliver, Wouters took the opportunity to revive the relationship where Tapper left off. Now the New Zealand Spinal Trust acts as the conduit between the BNZ Crusaders, the CRFU and the BSU, and helps by adding value and resources to the event. Regarding the event in March, it was Jase Ryan’s idea to take the players to the Spinal Unit – it was important for him that the players saw and understood such situations. Wouters said this relationship, while being light-hearted, also brings some reality. For the patients, it creates a beautiful distraction - for those few moments while the players are in the Unit, the patients won’t be thinking about their injuries or their pain. And for Wouters, he maintains “any moments I can create like this, I will.”
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