SNN_August 2023 Issue_web3

NEW ZEALAND SPINAL TRUST 14
What is the story with your accident?
I had a motorcycle accident at the age of 16. I’d moved up to
Auckland for work. During work hours I was out and didn’t
negotiate a bend. Apparently, a truck was partly on my side
of the road and I just dodged it, so it was a slow accident,
damaged T12 and compression fracture of L4/5 and I’m
about a T12, L1 paraplegic as a result of the accident.
What was your experience in the Spinal Unit and
were there people who mentored or supported you
on your journey?
I went through Ōtara Spinal Unit, and I had a pretty quick
time. Six weeks bed rest, because I didn’t get rods put in,
so they let it heal, then I had six weeks rehab, and then I
got sent home, which I moved back down to Invercargill
for family support. That was a real eye opener. I got sent
home on my own, which doesn’t happen now-a-days, you
always have someone going with you.
I had a stopover in Wellington Airport, and was wheeling
around there. After that hour or so stop over, I just sort of
realised, yeah, I can do this, it’s not that hard! So, that
actually did help, and it made me self-sufficient!
I then started coming back for reassessments. I came to
Burwood Spinal Unit for six months, and then yearly after
that for about five years. And I got meeting other people,
and in those days you’d get wrangled into helping at
dinner, with any of the people that couldn’t feed
themselves, or pick a drink up. Again, that was nice to be
able to help out where I could.
Were there any experiences in the Spinal Unit that
stayed with you?
I suppose one thing I did learn was from a guy in his 40s,
that was on six months bed rest at the time with a
pressure area, and it was just healing. That really scared
me into really looking after myself, it was a real eye
opener, and it really stuck with me.
What roles have you held in your time with the NZST?
So, I started off as a peer support worker on the ward.
Currently I’m a Community Support Coordinator, which
involves a team of people from Christchurch South, who I
catch up with, who are our Peer Supporters in the
community in certain areas. My role covers the South
Island, but I do help my work colleague with our get
togethers in the bottom of the North Island.
What do you love about Peer and Whānau Support
and helping others?
It’s the kick I get seeing people after six months and
seeing how they’ve adjusted. And then, the difference
from them leaving the spinal unit as a newly impaired
patient, to someone that’s getting on in the community
full-time, part-time, or getting themselves fit and keeping
themselves healthy and in good check.
How has the funding from ACC and new partnership
made a difference?
It has given us a lot more scope to be able to have people
in the community that can catch up with newly impaired
—Brett Ladbrook
It’s the kick I get seeing
people after six months and
seeing how they’ve adjusted.
patients as well as some of the old timers, that don’t get
out as much. So that’s made a big difference, because we
used to rely on volunteers and you would start feeling
uncomfortable using the same volunteers all of the time.
So we get to connect with more people and let them know
that there’s someone to talk to if they ever need it. It’s
proven very worthwhile, especially for gatherings, where
people swap stories about their impairment, and how
they’ve been dealing with it and getting on in life.
You are always taking people to experience awesome
things - like going to a Crusaders rugby game or to
Highlands Park - what do you enjoy about taking
people out of their comfort zone?
Going to the rugby games is incredibly beneficial for people
to integrate into the community. It’s always hard when
you’re first using a chair with feeling uncomfortable in
these situations and hoping that me being there, navigating
big crowds to get to your seats is a help for people to show
them that it can be done, and it’s not a biggie.
The Highlands Park is giving people the opportunity to
do something totally different, maybe out of their
comfort zone, drive a performance car in a safe
environment. You’d never get that chance anywhere
else in New Zealand.
What is the moment like when people with an SCI
realise that they can do these things and you help
ignite their passion?
Huge satisfaction seeing someone do their first wheel
stand, do their first transfer into the car, or off their bed,
to know that they will be able to handle it, and that they
can do it. That sense of achievement they get is massive
and it’s a bit of a buzz.
What advice do you offer to people at the start of their
journey with SCI?
That life after a spinal impairment, is totally doable. If
there’s anything you want to do, no matter how crazy it
may seem, there’s always someone else that’s done it
before you.
So, never be scared, hold your head up. You can do
anything you want to, whether it’s work or travel, sport,
it’s just done a little bit differently. Having an SCI makes
you look at things a bit differently, it makes you problem
solve, and if you can’t do it how do you do it? Nothing is
beyond the bounds of your capabilities. Just do it!