Patient Geoffrey is a peer supporter and radio STAR

Patient Geoffrey, also affectionately known as ‘Wombat’ has been calling STARS home since early January. After suffering from paralysis in his legs, Geoffrey was originally taken to Redcliffe Hospital. He was diagnosed with a stage 1 spinal schwannoma, a tumour of the nerve sheath, leaving him with a spinal cord injury. After surgery to remove the tumour, Geoffrey came to STARS to undergo his rehabilitation.

“One of my focuses has been to work on transfers from my wheelchair to bed and back again. My amazing physio Ang also brought her own car into the hospital so I could practice car transfers,” said Geoffrey.

“In the gym, I’ve been using the pedal bike to keep my legs moving and building up my upper body strength to help with the transfers.”

STARS physiotherapist Angela Williamson has been assisting Geoffrey in his recovery.

“Geoffrey has exceeded our initial expectations and is standing and taking several steps with assistance. He has worked hard and become a cheerleader for the other patients who come to him for peer support. He even joins in with fun shirt Friday,” said Angela.

For Geoffrey, this isn’t the first major health issue he has come up against.

“Sixteen years ago, I was diagnosed with a skin cancer that resulted in surgery on my bottom lip. I was able to beat that cancer,” he said.

Geoffrey also lived through Darwin’s Cyclone Tracy.

“I was fourteen at the time and I remember hiding in a built-in cupboard in a bedroom with my siblings. During the eye of the cyclone, our Yugoslavian neighbour climbed up to make repairs to his roof,” he said.

“My family and I were evacuated by air, initially to Mackay but then to Brisbane.”

When Geoffrey leaves STARS, he is looking forward to getting back to the Redcliffe and District Amateur Radio Club where he is the logbook administrator.

“I’ve been involved in amateur radio clubs for many years. I love being able to talk to people all over the world, from the Maldives to Turkey to Illinois. We discuss our previous working lives and our other hobbies and interests,” he said.

“Many of the Americans I talk to are really interested in our native Australian animals, which is also a love of mine. I particularly like macropods, but also the platypus and of course the wombat.”

Despite the health challenges he has faced, Geoffrey remains optimistic about the future.

“You just have to stay positive, just think about getting better. My motto is from Monty Python’s Life of Brian, ‘Always look on the bright side of life.

“There are a lot of people in a worse off situation.”

Geoffrey’s recovery has now reached a stage where he can leave STARS, moving to Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA).