2011 Sydney Running Festival with the Walk On Sydney Wonders

Written by Walk On Sydney Wonder - Simon Hodsden

Beep beep beep,….. Beep beep beep, and it's 3:50 AM on a beautiful Sunday morning and what else would we be doing except getting up and getting ready to participate in the Sydney Running Festival along with about 35,000 other people!

And so the preparation began with the help of my wonderful carer Hazel who agreed to come at four o'clock in the morning to help get me ready, while Sharon and boys organised themselves.
 The logistics of getting me up, ready and at the start line just by Luna Park in Sydney for 7:30 AM somehow seemed very daunting however, with plans made and watches synchronised we were in the car and leaving the driveway only two minutes behind schedule at 5:22 AM. The plan now was to drive to Sutherland Station and get a train to Central Station where we would change and get another one to Milsons Point and meet up with the rest of the team for the start of the fun run.

As we were leaving home we were greeted with a fantastic and beautiful sunrise indicating that the weather would be very kind to us. The journey to the station was particularly uneventful and as we arrived we did notice many other people parking their cars and dressed to participate in the run, it was quite fun trying to guess which distance they may be competing in. Would it be the marathon, half marathon, 9 km or the 4 km fun run, some people were easier to guess than others I think, although when the colour of the bib indicating their run was visible some even greatly surprised me.

Arriving at Sutherland Station we were very fortunate to get a parking space right by the station and the ramp leading to the platform. There was a train waiting for us and the platform attendant was very happy to "throw me quickly onto the train" although not literally. We had actually caught a train earlier than anticipated and were now ahead of schedule. We had just arrived at Sydenham Station when Sharon's phone alarm went off, this was indicating the time we would normally have got up on a Sunday morning, and here we are almost in the centre of Sydney! This was particularly poignant as it was another step back towards "normal" family life as it was before my accident. And it proves that with a bit of effort and an early start we can do it.

CityRail thankfully did not have any surprises for us and we arrived at Milsons Point about 15 minutes early and were in fact the first of our team there. It was incredible the amount of people milling around. There were some very serious runners getting ready for the marathon and a lot of families many with strollers (push chairs, for my English readers) and the overriding sensation that you felt was one of a really happy occasion where everybody was out to enjoy themselves.

The team was now assembling and team shirts were delivered and being worn this meant somebody had to carry all the gear that was now not required. Hmmmmm I wonder who will end up being loaded down (no clues but see if you can guess, a photographic answer will be provided later). The team consisted of us Hodsden's, Chuckie another guy in a chair his wife Mel, our physios Alana, Claudia, Camila and the organising secretary Bec. We were also joined by a research student from the University of Sydney with her family who had just flown in from Malaysia the day before.

The Walk On Sydney Wonders Team - All revved up and 4K to go!

At 7:55 AM we were under starters orders. And We're Off.

The number bibs that we are wearing are really quite clever as they contain a timing thingy that activates something as we go over the start and will stop something at the finish. I didn't want to get too technical (mostly because I don't understand how it works).

The start was a relatively slow affair as everybody had to run through the start line to activate their time thingy, however after that people started to walk, jog and run and for me my 4 km chinathon was about to begin. It is quite surprising but it is actually quite a climb from Luna Park up and onto the Bridge. The beauty about this running Festival is the fact that they close the Bridge to all traffic to allow the event to cross it, something that happens very rarely and it is fantastic opportunity to cross this icon on foot (so to speak).

David showing a good turn of speed with Sharon and I closing up

quickly at the beginning of the climb onto the Bridge.

As we progressed further onto the Bridge the views of Sydney just become awesome. Although there were a lot of people taking part in the run there were sections where the crowds were very thin and during these quiet periods I really took the opportunity to Hoon about and put my chin down and get some speed going. This was great fun as long as I avoid the cracks, small potholes and other variations in the road surface that can make chin driving of a wheelchair a very painful experience.

Have you managed to guess who will be carrying all of the excess baggage?

No? ....all will be revealed in the photograph below.

Yes it was me and I think the balloons are there to counteract the extra weight of the bags! This picture is quite incredible as it almost looks like we are the only people on the Bridge. Although it was very tempting to really speed as fast as possible across the Bridge it was also really great just to savour the atmosphere of the day and the occasion.

Sharon discusses race tactics with Claudia and Camila.

As we approached the end of the Bridge were greeted with a band playing and this added to the carnival atmosphere. It was about this point where my neck began to ache although my chin was still feeling great. The route of the run then took us across the Cahill Expressway and you can get fantastic views of Circular Quay, The Opera House and the Bridge, something that is very difficult to appreciate normally when you are in a car. As we exited the Cahill Expressway there was about 1 km left to go and most of these would now be downhill along Macquarie Street and down to the Opera House where the finish line was.

Going downhill would now be the opportunity for us all too actually get some speed up and the photographs above prove that it was a run. We crossed the finish line with the timing of 48 minutes 40 seconds, I suppose this sets the standard for next year. We must have done pretty well because we all got medals.

After finishing the run and with everybody feeling pretty good all the participants had to exit through the Botanical Gardens where there was a "recovery village". This was packed with runners getting drinks, food and sponsors tents etc and was a real reminder of the organisation that goes into an event such as this.

Getting out of the recovery village and down to the station at Circular Quay took nearly as long as the fun run itself due to the number of people trying to exit at once.

It was a fantastic day and I feel a really great achievement and as the writing on Chuckie's wife's T-shirt said on the back "it does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop" -- Confucius.

I am looking forward to my next Chinathon.

Simon


Matthew 19:26 -- With God all things are possible

SpineCare Conference 2011

Walk On at SpineCare Conference 10-11th March, Doltone House, Sydney

By Alana Tickle, Walk On Therapist B.App.Sc (ExSpSc) ESSAM AEP

Kierre and I were so happy to be invited as Walk On representatives at the SpineCare Conference, held at the beautiful Doltone House, Jones Bay Wharf on Sydney’s harbour. What a fantastic location to have spent 2 days at!

There was plenty to be excited about at this conference. We had the opportunity to listen to some amazing international keynote speakers including Professor Lawrence Vogel, Associate Professor MJ Mulcahey, Professor Randel Betz and Associate Professor Bonita Sawatzky, all of whom are dealing with paediatric spinal cord patient’s day in and out and are leading the way in current research and treatment options in this field.

Day 1:

The opening session at the conference was an introduction and overview of our main focus for the next two days – innovation and practice in childhood spinal conditions.

I found the second session of the day particularly informative as the panel on stage discussed scoliosis and bone health in children with a spinal cord injury. Bone density is an important consideration at Walk On, so the discussion between traditional methods of testing bone density to a newer method utilising a specialised x-ray, provoked some thought amongst many audience members including Kierre and I.

After a delicious lunch was the Hypotheticals session. It was a really great way to break the day up. It involved some of the leading Doctors and Professors in spinal cord injury research (including Australia’s very own Prof. Mary Galea) role playing in hypothetical situations. It was quite humorous to watch them role play scenarios such as how parents react to different issues that may confront children with SCI. After each skit had played out, a panel discussed how they would personally handle each of the scenarios.

The final session of the day was about the advances in science and technology. I was particularly interested in the neuroplasticity of the spinal cord (presented by Prof. Mary Galea) and current stem cell research that is currently being undertaken. Whilst it was all very technical, it was really interesting! It reminds me of just how complicated the human nervous system is!!

Now day one of the conference was over, we had the opportunity to let our hair down a little and attend a social cocktail party that most of the conference delegates attended. The food was great and so were the conversations… the magnificent view to the Harbour Bridge didn’t hurt either! It was great to see and have a few laughs with our friends at Restorative Therapies - T.Ann who had an exhibition stand at the conference for their FES cycles.

Day 2:
I woke up in the morning with butterflies in my stomach. I so nervous I couldn’t even stomach my breakfast. Even though I have presented on Walk On before, I was nervous about sitting on stage, looking out at over 150 professors, doctors, allied health professionals, nursing staff and parents of children with a spinal cord injury. It was just a tad intimidating! Kierre on the other hand, looked calm and kept telling me “not to worry” and “we’ll be fine”!

Kierre and I sat on stage next to Associate Professor Andrea Behrman and Dr Dena Howland. They presented on activity-based locomotor training and emphasised that high repetitions are the key to activity based therapy approaches when doing activity below the level of injury in children with neurological conditions.

The time came for Kierre and I to get up and speak and my heart started racing a million beats per minute. Despite being so nervous, it was a wonderful and memorable experience. It was so great to share with the audience about what we do and the passion we have for our jobs here at Walk On. I started our presentation with an overview of what Walk On is about and who we are as therapists. I also included some information about our clients such as their level of injury, age, and whether their injury was traumatic or non-traumatic. Kierre then took the microphone and talked about the core of what we do at Walk On – strength training including core stability, balance, posture, coordination gait training and an overview of the equipment we utilise. She also discussed using active assisted movement and visualisation and developmental movement patterns as some of the keys to our program to help stimulate the nervous system. Our session came to a close with question time and I was relieved that all of the questions directed to Kierre and I about Walk On were confidently answered.

Following our presentation, many people from the audience approached us telling us how interesting the program was. The highlight for me however, was being personally congratulated by two of the international keynote speakers; Professor Lawrence Vogel (Assistant Chief of Staff Shriners Hospitals for Children, Chief of Paediatrics, Professor of Paediatrics, Rush Medical College & Medical Director of SCI Program Shriners Hospitals for Children, United States) and Professor Randal Betz (Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Chief of Staff at Shriners Hospitals for Children & Medical Director of Shriners' Spinal Cord Injury Unit, United States) on our presentation. Overall the feedback was very positive!

The rest of the day is a bit of a blur really. It went so quickly, as the adrenaline was still pumping and I was on a high from our presentation.

We had an opportunity after our session and during the day to talk to people interested in the Walk On program and hand out some fact sheets and flyers. It felt really great to be able to get the message out there about our wonderful program that uses intense dynamic activity-based exercise therapy. So many of our clients are reporting functional benefits and hopefully we can continue to offer the program to more people in the spinal cord injured community, including paediatrics, now that they know the program exists!

Kierre and Alana with Assoc. Prof. Andrea Behrman, Assoc. Prof. Dena Howland University of Florida

Rod Watson - Walk On Client

Rod Watson's speech at the Launch of Walk On Sydney.

Rod giving his speech at the launch.

In October 2008 my life changed forever. I was on my buck’s night due to be married to in 4 weeks. I was riding a dirt bike on my boy’s weekend and I slid over a concealed road and broke my back. I was airlifted to the Alfred hospital in Melbourne where I discovered I had a complete T 12 injury, meaning I have no function below the waist. Needless to say our wedding was cancelled and my future was thrown in chaos. I spent five months in the Austin Hospital and Royal Talbot rehabilitation where at 27 I was told to get used to my chair and prepare for a life as a paraplegic.

Spinal cord injury at times has made me feel alone, depressed and helpless, it robbed me not only of the ability to walk but also the use of many basic functions, taking my dignity and pride. It is a daily struggle to complete even the smallest of tasks and puts a lot of pressure on family and friends, especially of the care giver. Previous to my accident I prided myself on being a good provider I was a strong and capable fitter and turner and welder. I relied on my physical strength not only for my work but also in my recreational activities.

I have always been very active I am not the sort of person to sit around feeling sorry for myself for long. I decided I did not want to except life in a chair and so my recovery and new life began. In March 2009 Danielle and I finally got married and were lucky enough this year after IVF to have a baby. I decided to get out there and give things a go, I tried reflexology, acupuncture, electric stimulation and swimming, as well as a variety of homemade rehabilitation equipment. At the start of 2010 I travelled to Germany to undergo stem cell treatment at the xcell centre in Cologne. Thousands of dollars later I gained some feeling down the sides of my legs and some reflexes, but little else. I needed to do something pro active to try and engage my brain and legs.

We spent a lot of time researching spinal cord injury and stumbled across Project walk in USA and its Australian Partner Walk On in Brisbane. I joined the waiting list in August 2009 and eagerly awaited my turn. When Walk On opened its Sydney facility I was excited to be among one of the first to be part of the home training program. So as a family we made the trip to Sydney from Melbourne.Walk On for me can be described in one word “POSATIVE” . When you have a Spinal Cord injury you hear a lot of no’s from the doctors and physios... “No you can’t” “no you won’t” even “no there is no point” At walk On you never hear the word “no”, the trainers made me feel that anything is possible and encouraged me to trust my body again. They listened and they understood my injury using what function I had to its full potential. I left Sydney feeling both mentally and physically rejuvenated.

I have since been following the program at home with Danielle and feel that I have gained more strength, coordination, core stability and mentally I feel more positive about my future. We are now hoping to help raise the funds needed to bring Walk On to Melbourne so that we can be part of an in house program and continue my rehabilitation closer to home. I believe this program can benefit all SCI patients in some way, both mentally and physically. I know it is a long road but my hope is not only to walk again but to encourage others to be pro active with their rehabilitation. Thank you for your time.

Winning Wheelers Ambassador Angel's first Video Blog

Winning Wheelers Ambassador and Walk On client Angel gives her very first Video Blog on her training for the Sydney Running Festival's 4km Family Fun Run.

If you would like to sponsor Angel or the Winning Wheelers team, click here or use the links below.

www.gofundraise.com.au/angelwalkson

www.gofundraise.com.au/winning_wheelers_srf

A Project Walk experience comes to an end

The Walk On program, which uses the Dardzinski methodology used in Project Walk in the USA is still in infancy here in Australia. With approaximately 300 hundred new spinal cord injuries every year, there is certainly enough people we could help using exercise based recovery techniques. The program being so young in Australia, we unfortunately lack the number of trained professionals to be able to cater to the nearly 10,000 people who live with a spinal cord injury. There is so much that still needs to be acheived. More venues, more trainers... all which through the help of our supporters we will reach in the coming years. But until that day arrives, families often have to travel abroad to get the help they need now. As we know with spinal cord injuries, time is of the essence!

One such family travelled to Project Walk to help their daughter Rhiannon, hoping to acheive her goal of walking again. Outside of the positive results she acheived through hard work, determination and the skill of her trainers, they discovered friendship and inspiration in a place they never dreamt they would. The following blog is from Rhiannon's mother, Sharyn. It reflects on their time at Project Walk as their time draws to an end. We are so very happy that they had a positive and uplifting experience at Project Walk and hope when they arrive back in Australia and join Walk On that, that experience continues.


By Sharyn Bradford
As I reflect from a mother's point of view and a friend too many with Spinal Cord Injury, the past 8 weeks here at Project Walk and in this little place called Carlsbad, there are so many things to share with you. So I will start from our arrival. I remember feeling so sad having to leave my husband, friends and my work but I knew it was what had to do for my daughter, if we wanted the best possible outcome which was for her to "Walk Again".

The plane trip was daunting for me cause the last plane ride before this was my plane trip back from Bali after the accident, I cannot even begin to tell you have anxious I was, but we made it safe and sound and thanks to the great staff on our V Australia flight we were upgraded to 1st Class!

We arrived at San Diego airport at around 10.30pm and waited for our shuttle to take us to our hotel, well what a ride that was! From San Diego Airport to Carlsbad is about 45min's, I am sure the guy that picked us up was a racing car driver, the freeway speed limit is 65miles per hour, this guy was driving at about 85-90mph and Rhiannon was sitting in her wheelchair bouncing around like a rag doll. I had to ask the driver to take it a little easier due to Rhiannon's injury. When we arrived at our hotel, he told me that if I thought he drove fast in the shuttle bus; I should see him drive in his own car....no thank you, Rhiannon and I just laughed we were exhausted, checked into our room to discover the room did not have a roll-in shower as requested but due to being exhausted we would manage. We only had one day to recover from our Jet Lag before Rhiannon was to commence "Project Walk" so sleeping the next day is all we did.

Carlsbad is like a little beach Village, very wheelchair accessible as there are alot of elderly retired people and from what I see is a very popular holiday destination. We started our first day at Project Walk on 11th May nice and early 8.00am, that was hard, Rhiannon and I had to be up around 5.30am to get there in time as we had no idea where it was, we arranged a Taxi to pick us up at 7.30am. I had met the Taxi driver the day before as I went looking for Aussie Power Adaptors whilst Rhiannon was sleeping, he was great taking me everywhere to find the adaptors, but we couldn't get them anywhere. Anyway this Taxi Driver was driving one of his fleet which was a pick up truck, I explained to him that when he picked Rhiannon and I up the next morning he would have to bring his sedan as Rhiannon wouldn't be able to step up into this Gigantic truck, he replied; "No problems". Well the Taxi driver arrived at 7.30am in his pick up truck! He said don't worry Sharyn I will just lift her in, I thought Omg this is going to be great! He did get her in with my help. The trip from our hotel to Project Walk was only 15mins, when we arrived the taxi driver dropped Rhiannon trying to get her out of the truck into her wheelchair, luckly she didn't get hurt, not a great start to the day, I felt sick knowing she had to commence on this note, but she was a trooper and just said; Mum I'm o.k.! Needless to say that taxi driver didn't get another opportunity to transport us anywhere! We walked in to Project Walk and met Rhiannon's trainers, Kimber, Kimmy & David, they were all excited about meeting Rhiannon and as Kimber did her evaluation, I knew we had made the right decision to be here. I honestly want to bring these people home, they are warm, caring and determined, highly motivated and what special people to deal with the emotions of the clients that come in every day with this injury. This was a very emotional time for me, they were so positive and I know they set their own little personal goals for Rhiannon and they believe she will "Walk again" as we have done from the day the Medical Guru's told us "NO"!

The first day of Project Walk was fantastic, the trainers worked out what Rhiannon could and couldn't do, we met Gigi, Tricia & Kathy from Administration and even these girls are beautiful, given the fact I had come over on my own, had no idea where I was going to anywhere, these girls made me feel comfortable and were full of information to make our transition to America more pleasant!

We had a few ups and downs in the first weeks, we had to move from our hotel, due to me dropping Rhiannon trying to get her out of the makeshift bath/shower we had in our room, Rhiannon got very ill with a stomach bug that was going around, then a UTI and I was running all over town getting her medications for everything as she did not want to see a doctor, mind you I was getting Taxi's everywhere and it was costing a fortune. After the first week I decided I had brave it and hire a car, I was petrified, they drive like maniacs over here and very fast, but I couldn't cope knowing that if I had to take Rhiannon to the Emergency Room in a hurry, the taxi wouldn't get here fast enough. We had a great relationship with our new Taxi Driver Sean, he was so caring and a great guy, he would transfer Rhiannon into the cab, he knew how to disasemble & asemble Rhiannons chair, we met his beautiful girlfriend Miranda as we dropped her off at work on the way to Project Walk, it really was great having Sean around I was sad when I hired the car, cause he was like our Body Guard and was full of useful info on the area.

Day 1. with the hire car was frightening, I really had to concentrate driving on the opposite side of the road, I had no idea of the road rules, I just followed the traffic and drove really fast, I felt like I was Jamie or Lowndsy on a race track, I know our friends in Karting and Racing would be proud of me! One of our friends at Project Walk had said to me; the best way to get around the driving is to always think "Left is Wide and Right is Tight". That is permanently embedded in my brain...(Thanks Maddy Bayer). Rhiannon and I have had a few laughs with my driving, as yes I have forgotten sometimes and driven on the wrong side of the road, the first time we got petrol was hilarious! I drove in on the wrong side and the petrol station was packed and everyone just looked at me. Well I got out at the pump and said: "I am Australian gimme a break"! It was even funnier when I was trying to put petrol in the car and was cursing that the bowser wasn't working, when little did I know, in America you pay for your petrol first before you put it in! What a great idea, stops people from driving away without paying. The other little thing I am having trouble with is; is getting into the driver seat, once or maybe even a few times, I have been at the supermarket and have gone to get in the passengers seat to drive, I look around to see if anyone has seen me and then I have a quiet chuckle to myself and quickly go to the other side!

Anyway the weeks have gone quickly and Rhiannon has trained so hard as you can see by her video's, the strength she has gained is just amazing, this place Project Walk is not just a place to come and gain strength and recovery, it is also a place for support not just for the client but for the wonderful and inspirational carers that are looking after their loved ones, I have been privilaged to meet the best people: Kate & Barney who come from Sawtell near Coffs Harbour, Barney who was a passenger in a terrible car accident over 10 years ago and left him in a wheelchair, this is his second visit to Project Walk and he has gained so much from PW and cannot rate the place high enough, his beautiful girlfriend Kate (who will be famous one day, she is an inspirational singer/songwriter) and has written a song about belief, determination & the power to do anything if your mind is right, being right by his side, she is a young girl, that has been with Barney for 3 years and has been nothing but Barney's everything from the word go! Barney lets nothing stop him, he has never let his injury deter him from doing anything. He has travelled the world, surfed and is an inspiration to everyone that meets him. You just have to be his friend on facebook to see how much he has achieved and I think he is da bomb!!! We have met a beautiful family from Texas, Sherry & Jay (Mum & dad), Kendell, her boyfriend Justin, Lindsay & Meagan (Kendell sisters) Kendell was again a passenger in an horrific car accident, her family has been taking it in turn to care for Kendell, they are here for 12 months and wow what a family, you guys have touched my heart as the support you give each other is amazing. They have rallied together and are doing fundraisers all over the place to keep Kendell here for training and treatment. You have shown me what a real family is all about, my hat goes off to you, I love you people. We all went to the Del Mar fair the other night, with one of the trainers from PW Tyler and his girlfriend Nicole, Kendell wanted to go on one of the scariest rides at the fair, its called "Speed" It is as tall as the Giant Drop is QLD, but you sit in it and it goes up really high and the spins you upside down and around and around, I wouldn't even attempt it and I love those scarey rides, but Kendell said; If Barney can do it, so can I!. Now thats what I'm talkin about! This is what you gain from being at PW, not only do you make new friends, you get inspiration, motivation and you learn that you should not let that wheelchair stop you from living life!

I want to talk more about the trainers here at Project Walk. Kimber, Kimmy, David, Margarite, Tyler, Gen, Meika, Jason x 3, Brie, Jillian, Kathy, Sachi, Josh and then there are the trainer aids very important people, Sara, Emily, Connor, Stacey, Kayla, Joel if I have forgotten anyone I apologise, Well these people are the people that change Spinal Cord Injured peoples lives forever, their dedication, compassion, motivation is unbelievable, they work so hard and not only that, they have always got your back, for the first couple of weeks of our stay I was nearly beside myself looking at 4 walls in a hotel room, that soon changed, these people invite you into their lives, you become their friends, we are never stuck now for something to do. Since we have been here, we have been to Kendells surprise 30th, Del Mar Fair, We celebrated my birthday with a bash at the hotel and this weekend we went to a very exciting "Padres" Baseball Game and last night to Brie's for a BBQ all with the Project Walk Crew, the accolades must go to these people, they are sincere and will have a special place in my heart for the rest of my life.

People come from all over the world to Project Walk, it is a real Multi-Cultured Centre, this is where you see our crazy world all bond together. We have met people from India, Brazi, Hungry and those mad Canadians, Laura & Andrew you has also made an impact in our lives, we all share the same heart wrenching stories and we are all striving for the same result, that is to get our loved ones better.

I was having a conversation with Jay, Kendells dad a couple of weeks ago and we said; that if anyone is having a bad day, they should visit Project Walk, you walk in and see all the highly motivated & determined people training and it would most definately change your mood! There are kids as young as 3 years old, yes that is right, 3 years old and there is a gorgeous young man named Patrick who was run over at the age of 14 months old, he is now 15 or 16 and you should see his determination, he pushes himself so hard with the most amazing results.

Think about this for a minute.....As non-injured people we go to the Gym we work out for maybe an hour or two we are exhausted or feel great that we have had such a good workout! Well Project Walk Clients & Trainers work out for anything between 2-5 hours a day being injured and you work really hard, there is no slacking off, the clients here work harder than what I have seen in any Gym in Australia!

1000 Cheers for the trainers & aids at Project Walk, you guys make a real difference in the world.....We love you all!

On the spot with Kate Greener

Star intern Rachel steals five minutes with one of the dedicated Walk On recovery specialists, Kate Greener, to find out why she thinks Walk On is the bee’s knees.

RC: So Kate, how did you become involved in Walk On?

KG: Luckily for me, Walk On found me. I was working as a gym supervisor at the Sporting Wheelies and Disabled Association. I always wanted to be involved in spinal rehabilitation and was frustrated that there was very little available outside of the hospital system. Then in rolled David Prast, who was looking for a venue to bring Walk On to Australia, and the rest is history. I volunteered for Walk On for just over a year and was the third trainer to be sent to Project Walk. I have now been a part of the Walk On team officially for just over a year.

RC: What are some of the big and small achievements you have seen since the pilot began?

KG: The biggest achievement I have seen has been the increase in clients’ independence. When some of the guys started the program, they were driven to the gym, pushed up the ramp by their partners and hoisted on and off equipment. Basically, they were dependent on other people to do a lot of the things we do in our day-to-day lives. Many of them were frustrated, self-conscious, angry and in some cases desperate for something, anything more. It’s then amazing that 6-12 months down the track, some of these clients are driving, transferring, travelling, working and are independent individuals.

RC: Do you feel these achievements have improved clients’ quality of life?

KG: Definitely. With increased strength and fitness comes less health problems such as skin tears, blood pressure issues, urinary tract infections and depression to name a few. In general our clients are happier, healthier, more independent and driven to make the most of life which is very rewarding as a trainer. Nathan Handley walking over the finish line at the Bridge to Brisbane was a great moment this year, Joe taking his first steps on his crutches and Jayme being able to transfer into a car for the first time since his accident; have all been big moments for me this year.

RC: What is the US Project Walk like in comparison to Walk On?

KG: Project Walk is a truly unique experience. There are people there from all over the world, all under one roof, for the same reason. And it is so big - we would love to have that much space one day! They have many clients and trainers so I learnt lots. Everyone was willing to help you and made us feel welcome. Our facility is smaller but the atmosphere of our gym is something you cannot replicate. Unlike Project Walk, we have people from all disability groups training under one roof. There is a great camaraderie and sense of fun at the gym. Both places offer something different whilst executing a high level of training.

RC: So to wrap it all up, tell me why Walk On is so exciting?

KG: I love that this program gives people a choice to maximise their functional recovery and regain functional independence, confidence and an improved quality of life. This is the first program of its kind in Australia and I'm excited to be a part of it.

Thanks for your time Kate - keep up the good work!

Rachel

Rachel Caton
Public Relations Intern
Spinal Cord Injuries Australia

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A National Launch to Remember

Last Monday 9 November, during Spinal Cord Injuries Awareness Week, we were fortunate to bring members of the Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) community, their family and friends, supporters and the media together to celebrate the national launch of Walk On at Sydney Opera House.

The launch of this exercise recovery program was a watershed moment for the community in so many ways, to people such as:

• The founders of Project Walk in the USA who have worked hand-in-hand with us, to deliver a quality Australian version of the original program
• Our dedicated recovery specialists, who were trained in the USA and who are thrilled by the accomplishments of each of their clients
• Walk On clients from the Brisbane pilot program and their families, whose hard work and determination has been repaid with the ability to drive a car, feed their kids and other independent everyday activities we take for granted
• Our potential new clients, who heard about Walk On from SCIA, on the SCI grapevine, in the media or social media and are ready to get involved
• All the SCIA team, so passionate about expanding the program from Brisbane to Sydney and other cities – making the prospect of regaining functional recovery post-SCI a reality

The Walk On launch was attended by over 100 people, all enjoying the jazz tunes and sparkling Sydney Harbour offered up to us on that summery morning. Despite the lovely surrounds, we were there with purpose – to raise awareness about a groundbreaking spinal cord injury recovery program, how using intensive exercise can stimulate and retrain the damaged nervous system and maximise functional recovery after serious injury.

As I said at the launch, “Walk On isn’t a cure for SCI, we know that, and more importantly our clients know that. Walk On is part of the evolution of recovery given to us by improvements in neurosurgical, acute and rehabilitation care.

“Walk On builds upon these advances, helping people achieve their maximum potential for recovery, to be the very best they can be, to be ready to take full advantage of the advances of tomorrow.

“The beauty of the Walk On program is that it is completely built on promoting independence. And it completely depends on the guts, determination and motivation of participants.”

We were so pleased to have Bill Shorten MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children’s Services speak and share some heartfelt sentiments. He reminded us that a spinal cord injury can befall any of us and can happen in the blink of an eye.

Bill Shorten spoke of Walk On as one of the hardest and most demanding programs around, but one getting results in people’s rehabilitation post-Spinal Cord Injury. He also touched upon the inequality that stems from compensation being available to some people who experience a SCI and not others.

Shorten said, "It's fantastic we are here launching [Walk On] during Spinal Cord Injuries Awareness Week. [However,] I do not accept that compensation and support in this country should be a lottery. We talk a lot in this country about a fair go. All too often, while some have the support in jurisdictions such as NSW, in other circumstances people are left relying on the support of their families and charities."

While we talk about the 300 people affected by spinal cord injuries every year, and 10,000 Australians nationwide, the number of those impacted is, at the very least, tenfold.

So, I would like to reach out to thank the many friends, family members, colleagues, donors, carers and workers who are helping us to, as Brisbane participant Rhys says, “build momentum and get these things up and running, keep them running. If we can do that, we can take Spinal Cord Injury away from where it’s been for so many years.”

To refer someone to Walk On, please email walkon@scia.org.au. To find out more or make a much-needed donation to support the program, visit our website www.scia.org.au.

Here’s to taking the next steps with Walk On.

Stay strong,

Peter

Peter Perry
Chief Executive Officer
Spinal Cord Injuries Australia

Follow us on Twitter - we're @walk__on
Join the SCIA Cause on Facebook
Become a Walk On Facebook Fan
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Ps. Take a moment to enter our photo competition celebrating the national launch of Walk On during Spinal Cord Injuries Awareness Week! Simply upload a photo showing “What makes you happy” to our Flickr page for the chance to win a digital camera. Entries close Tuesday 24 November.
ENTER HERE: http://www.flickr.com/groups/walkon.

A first blog and an Australian first

Firstly, introductions: My name is Peter Perry and I’m CEO of Spinal Cord Injuries Australia, known as SCIA. We’re jumping into the social media sandpit and starting a blog that chronicles stories from some of the 12,000 Australians affected by Spinal Cord Injury, their families and all those who help.

SCIA has been around for 40 years, and we’re driven to help people with a spinal cord injury to become independent in the community. We are a community-based organisation, we support people and assist them to live a better quality of life. Some of the support we provide includes information programs, accommodation services, employment services and peer support services, all about providing people with support and assistance when they need it. You can find out more at http://www.scia.org.au/.

SCIA doesn’t sit around waiting for others. We like to think of ourselves as trendsetters and Walk On, the new exercise recovery program we launch nationally on November 9, is a good example. We knew the program was operating in the USA – as Project Walk – and we saw it would be of benefit to our clients and members. Our members asked, so we went to the States to find out about bringing it Down Under.

SCIA is a pragmatic organisation. We’re not an academic research unit who researches something for decades, although there is a place for that, but others are better qualified. We roll up our sleeves, get in and get started.

And so, Project Walk (USA) and Walk On (AUS) explore new rehabilitation and recovery strategies for people with a spinal cord injury in a safe and controlled environment. We see the benefits from Project Walk clients in the USA and are seeing the same results in clients participating in our Brisbane pilot program. The next steps are our national launch at the Sydney Opera House, beginning Walk On in Sydney, and rolling the program out to other states and territories.

We’re excited about Walk On because it’s changing people’s lives post-SCI. It’s not all about walking again – not too many end up walking – it’s about improving functional recovery. If you have been paralysed and can drive your car again, clean your teeth, lift up your kids to give them a hug: all these things are huge achievements.

A word about some people in the community who appear suspicious of the program. While Walk On has not yet been 'scientifically proven' with years of research, we see results and real-life benefits every day. We are offering this opportunity to anyone in Australia with a Spinal Cord Injury (and there’s about 300 new cases every year) rather than people having to travel to the USA for the program or waiting years for it to happen.

How many people are in some way affected by a spinal injury? There are 12,000 Aussies affected by the injury itself, but so many more directly and indirectly than that – and we want to reach out to everyone to spread the word about Walk On.

Spinal Cord Injuries Australia is keen to have conversations in the online community because online forums give us all a voice and a chance to better understand each other’s unique perspective.

Stay strong,

Peter Perry
Chief Executive Officer
Spinal Cord Injuries Australia

Follow us on Twitter - we're @walk__on
Join the SCIA Cause on Facebook
Become a Walk On Facebook Fan
Subscribe to our blog: Walk on from Spinal Injury