SNN_July 2021 Issue_web low res

NEW ZEALAND SPINAL TRUST 26
Family ties—Andrew’s first Christmas back home with his wider family five days after discharge in 1983.
“It was the best thing for me. My mates never let me get
away with anything. They wouldn’t let me wallow.” It was
also during this time that he managed to improve a bit
and get up on crutches so he could cover short distances
and climb a few steps.
Andrew went on to complete a degree in agricultural
economics and he started work as a computer
programmer in 1987.
“It never crossed my mind that I wouldn’t get back to
work,” he says. “I was injured when I was a student so if I
wanted to get any money, I had to make it myself and that
has always been the case.”
He got his first job as a computer programmer through a
mate because as he says, it’s definitely all about who you
know not what you know, because he had no idea how to
program computers. Andrew remembers winging it and
just hoping that no-one noticed he didn’t know what he
was doing.
“I didn’t have a clue and I told my mate this, but he said
‘you’ll be fine’. I had a blind panic attack and then I read
the manual. I learned on the job—I had no choice—and it
set up my career in IT for 30 years. I never looked back.”
Back to where it all began
And now Andrew has gone full circle.
Following his recovery in the Burwood Spinal unit, where
he got his life back on track, he has been the CEO of the
NZ Spinal Trust, the Chairman of the Board and is now
the Manager of Peer Support and National Programme
Manager for the Vocational Rehabilitation team. Andrew
is also a Director of the NZ Rugby Foundation, supporting
seriously injured rugby players. He joined the foundation
in July 2018 providing IT and governance expertise. Last
year he received the Canterbury Road Trauma Award for
Community Service.
—Andrew Hall
We get the chance to talk
about life and how they can
get back on track.
Andrew has been in the patients shoes. He knows how
they are feeling on day one in the Spinal Unit and he has
sound advice to help people adjust to their new life.
“Everybody’s journey is different,” he says. “I was a bit of a
sponge on the ward. I tried to soak up all of the
information that was given to me. You are lying there
acute and your world gets pretty small.
“That is why we want to fill that vacuum with Vocational
Rehabilitation and Peer Support. We want to fill people’s
minds with the right information and help them with
their progress.”
“I have a privileged job,” he says. “Me and my team are
dealing with people who have had a decent amount of bad
news, and we are lucky enough to be able to give them
good news. We are sharing hope.
“That life goes on and there is hope—bearing in mind that
none of it is easy—but it is all achievable. We get the chance
to talk about life and how they can get back on track. That
is a real privilege. It is great to be able to give back.”
Andrew Hall is a living example that you can make a world
of difference to the lives of others if you never give up.