Supporting Lee’s Long Road To Recovery

My mum’s unfortunate event happened camping at Toccomwal Easter Weekend along the Murray River. Where she accidentally lost her footing, falling 5 meters off the riverbank cliff onto debris into the River. Where us kids, Mick (her partner) and friends and ambulance personnel kept her alive for nearly 3 hours, until emergency services finally were able to evacuate her to go to hospital. It was too foggy for a helicopter, finally deciding on winching her out in the hopes that it wouldn’t cause further damage. We later found out she had broken T11&T12 vertebrae, severely damaging her spinal cord, fracturing 3 ribs, her sternum and also a collapsed lung. She is paralysed from the waist down and may not ever walk again.

My mum was/is such a Trooper, she’s independent, stubborn, positive, bubbly outgoing personality, always laughing, smiling and always lived life to the fullest and strive to make everyone around her happy, putting others first. Always happy to help, even if she didn’t have anything left in her positive tank, she would find a way.

Her partner Michael (Mick), has been her biggest supporter, from sleeping on the cold hospital floor in ICU in Shepparton Hospital, where he found out the tragic results of her fall, to bringing us in to see our mum at the Alfred Hospital, then the Austin Hospital, where she finally got out of ICU and into a spinal recovery ward. He makes sure we are being fed and have everything we need while mum is recovering in Hospital.

The amount of support we’ve received from Mick, my oldest sister Aly and her boyfriend and our friends and family has been overwhelming in this traumatic time. From cooking us prepared meals, taking us to the hospital, kind words and simply being there if we need anything.

So to give you some perspective Leanne has 3 girls, Tegan (me) and Aimee (both under the age of 18 who live with mum full time) and Aly. Mum needs to focus on her rehab right now, however her work entitlements are exhausted by May 12, 2024. Her manual car will be too difficult/not suitable to convert into a car she can drive whilst paralysed. We don’t know how long recovery will take, months, years, or the realisation that she may never recover.

Our aim in this go fund me campaign is to help with the financial burden on my mum for us, so she can focus on rehabilitation. To help with everyday expenses, to the possibility of purchasing a car to convert, so she has the ability to continue rehabilitation once she is released from hospital, but most importantly to continue being a mum and help us until we are able to drive ourselves. To have her independence back will be priceless, so any donation of any amount will be greatly appreciated.