Help Bring Rod Home

Hi, my name is Jodie and I'm fundraising for our beautiful friends, Rod & Catherine Smith, to help bring Rod home.

On Saturday 16 March 2024 our dear friend, Rod, was out with a mate on a mountain bike track in Kentlyn when he was involved in a catastrophic accident, causing major injuries to Rod’s body. Rod suffered extensive facial injuries, including a broken jaw, and a major spinal injury at C5 causing him to be classified as a quadriplegic.

Rod was airlifted from the accident site to Royal North Shore Hospital where he spent four long months, requiring several operations to his face and spinal cord. Just recently Rod has been transferred to Ryde Royal Rehabilitation Centre where his hard work continues to assist him in learning how to live with his extensive injuries and regaining some independence before heading home.

Rod requires physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and hydrotherapy multiple times per week. Experience shows that without this continued therapy injuries can quickly revert backwards.

When Rod returns home the cost of these therapies will fall upon him and his wife, Catherine. As you can imagine, this would be a financial nightmare for any of us to have to face.

Rod has not been able to work since the accident. Catherine and their two children, Isaac and Crystelle, have been at Rod’s side learning from the hospital and rehabilitation staff how to care for Rod when they return home.

Catherine & Rod’s home is not yet equipped for Rod’s current needs. Changes will need to be made and the majority of these costs will again fall upon this beautiful couple.

Catherine & Rod are the type of people we all wish to have as friends. They’re incredibly kind & generous. They’re the people who are first to put their hand up to help others. Now it’s our turn to help them.

Please assist us in reaching our goal of $100,000 to help pay for Rod’s continued rehabilitation and the house alterations needed to bring him home.

We would be very grateful if you could share this page with your family and friends.