<div>On Friday 17th November 2023 our lives changed when we received the call that our daughter was involved in a car accident. Upon hearing the first responders account of finding her meters away from the vehicle after being flung out we were just so glad she was still alive. She was talking and alert and apart from a small graze on her elbow, seemed unscathed. Kierstan disclosed in the ambulance on the way to the hospital that she could not feel her legs and that’s when reality hit of the severity of her injury.
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<div>She was taken to the closest hospital in a small town called Stanthorpe and this is where it was confirmed there was a spinal injury present. The decision was made to chopper her out to the PA in Brisbane. Her father never left her side, taking the chopper to Brisbane with her.
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<div>X-rays and CT showed a fracture on her spine at T5 along with it being dislocated from T2-T8 but the most severe injury was her spinal cord being 50% severed. This is where we were told there would be a 6-12 month stay in hospital. Kierstan was prepped for surgery the same night to align her spine and as soon as she had left and we were trying to make sense of this all we received the call that they were postponing the surgery till the morning. It is a lengthy operation and they needed more doctors and specialists than what was on hand that night. Not a lot of sleep happened that night, Rob never leaving her side still, me curled up on the waiting room chair.
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<div>The next day she underwent a 9 hour surgery leaving her with rods and screws in her back. Seeing her face after surgery is a picture that will be seared into our brains for eternity. She was swollen and puffy, drains and cannulas coming from every which way and obviously full of pain medication. We were given a time frame of 12 months for her to regain the ability to walk. If it wasn’t back by then, it was very unlikely she would walk again. We were told 12 weeks for swelling to go down at the surgery site before they could reassess.
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<div>We were blessed to have family back home that were able to help us with our three sons while Rob and I continued to be with Kierstan every day and Rob staying every night. We were 5 weeks in when I made the decision to head back home for the boys to give them back some stability and I slowly eased back into work. Rob continued to stay with Kierstan and the boys and I made multiple trips back each week to see them.
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<div>Kierstan begun rehab at the PA, and she made an instant connection with her rehab team. All focus at this point was upper body, core, and trunk strength. She was doing and amazing job and making us so proud with her determination. She never faultered, she gave it everything she had and kept a positive outlook despite at 17 years old having the major event happen to her. To the staff at PA we have nothing but great things to say. They treated Kierstan with respect (even though she was a sassy teenager) and also enjoyed a bit of banter with her.
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<div>With the new year came a change of hospitals. Kierstan was transferred to the Queensland Childrens Hopsital and was admitted to the rehab ward for more intense physio and ot. After the 12 week mark hit, during a meeting with her specialist team we were informed, that although there is some sensation below her injury site, she will never walk again. Their focus shifted to getting her comfortable, confident and competent using a wheelchair and teaching the skills around manoeuvring using her upper body. Kierstan is smashing these, doing transfers from bed to chair, chair to car, toileting herself and being independent.
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<div>This leads us to getting her home……..
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<div>We need to modify our home in order for her to be discharged. This is her primary residence and although there is NIISQ funding we could tap into, they have told us it will be a 6-12 month wait just for approval of what they will and will not fund. We do not have that time to wait, she is so close being able to come home. We have made the decision to go ahead with our modifications and fund it ourselves, knowing NIISQ will not reimburse. We want her home, and we need the house done to do so.
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<div>These renovations will include ramp
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<div>access onto a deck at front of house with new access into the house, extending her bedroom to allow for storage of hoist, commode, hospital bed, wider doorway to allow wheelchair clearance, remote light and fan in her room, painting and carpet after extending, and also air con in her room as with spinal cord injuries there are issues with regulating body temperature.
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<div>We would really appreciate ANY help from the community. Kierstan is an inspiration to all and we can not thank you all
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<div>enough for helping get our family back together and making this transition for Kierstan sooner rather than later. 
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Cara Stevens

Ella McGlashan

Jaime Parr

Anonymous

Braidyn Galloway

Michelle Galloway

Heidi Roscher

Angelo Andronis

Kelsie Martland

Emma Hughes

Dani Peel

Deborah Mangan

Will Galvin

Mya Zappa

Nathan Hoffman

Nikki Reed

Cynthia McDonald

Home Mods for Kierstan

Home Mods for Kierstan

Still $53,298 to go. Help us build momentum.