'I BELONG'
Sarah’s story
Meet Sarah…Sarah was a working mum, working part time and caring for her young family, when in 2018 she unfortunately experienced a workplace injury which had complications that resulted in a spinal-cord injury.
Before her injury Sarah worked as a part-time disability care worker in an age care facility, whilst also caring for her children, who were 5 and 7 years old at the time.
DELIVERING CONFIDENCE AND INDEPENDENCE
Together we can help more people like Sarah regain their confidence so they can explore their independence through participation on SCIA programs like Engage and Peer and Family Support.
The life Sarah knew had changed
Adapting to her new normal with a spinal cord injury was a struggle, with extra strain and duties on all members of the family, not to mention the emotional rollercoaster of adapting to a spinal cord injury. Life hasn’t been easy. The kids had to grow up quickly and take on extra tasks around the house and Sarah’s husband, insert name, had to ramp up work to support the family.
But help was at hand. Whilst in rehab, Sarah met Heidz, a member of the SCIA Peer and Family Support team.
Meeting Heidz
‘When I met Heidz, I felt we matched – we were very similar’ Sarah
Meeting Heidz was a turning point for Sarah, as she felt it was the first time since her injury that she could talk to some who could understand what she had been through. As someone with a lived experience of a spinal injury, Heidz had experienced similar things in her journey.
Sarah went on to participate in the SCIA Engage and Peer and Family Support Programs.
‘This is when I began to feel like I belong. Having a community of people that understands and that I can turn to for advice, that’s important to me.’
The Peer and Family Support program
The Peer and Family Support program exists to support people like Sarah to give them free non-clinical practical help, throughout their recovery journey, from people with lived experience of spinal cord injury. The program aims to help people like Sarah regain independence, make connections in the community and new skills for everyday living with a spinal injury.
The Engage program
The Engage program is a free resilience program aimed at helping participants cope with grief, refocus, gain a sense of personal direction and connect with others after a spinal injury. The program aims to establish confidence and independence.
THIS CHRISTMAS WILL BE DIFFERENT
‘Christmas is big in my family’
With renewed confidence and independence, Sarah is looking forward this festive season to doing more of what she used to do before her injury. This year Sarah will be in a new accessible house where she’ll be able to bake, and have family visit her. The family will be making a trip to Sydney to see the Christmas lights to make up for all the years that they didn’t do Christmas lights at home.
Living with confidence and independence
Sarah now lives with confidence and independence.
Sarah has even created a bucket list and started to tick it off. The family recently returned from snorkelling trip to the Great Barrier Reef, something that she couldn’t imagine she would be able to do two years ago.
But with the help of SCIA, she’s now in a position where she can have the confidence to do it.
‘Without SCIA, I wouldn’t be here. SCIA has been my turning point.’
It’s thanks to your support, that SCIA have been able to help Sarah regain her confidence and independence.