More than 20 years ago, when Ben was 18 years old, life was good. Ben was working in a job he loved, had a girlfriend, studying at uni, playing sport and music. One night when he was out with friends, as he was using a pedestrian crossing, he was hit by a motorbike driven by an unlicensed 15 year old.
This serious accident resulted in a traumatic brain injury affecting Ben's motor and language function. This meant Ben's brain could no longer send messages to his muscles. Even though Ben's spine had not been broken he had no movement from his neck down. For a few hours after the accident Ben could still speak but as the effects of the widespread brain injury set in, Ben slowly lost his ability to talk, leaving him non-verbal, otherwise known as aphasia. Although Ben can still understand and process things he has lost the ability to speak. Ben spent 14 long months in Townsville Hospital. Ben now communicates via his iPad and Auslan and mobilises via a wheelchair or walker.
Through exercise therapy, Ben has regained some of his motor function. Despite the challenges Ben has faced, he maintains a positive attitude and outlook on life. Ben's laugh is a familiar and uplifting sound at FNQ Health and Fitness Gym, a Royal Rehab entity in Atherton. Ben has been a client of FNQ since 2020, through the NDIS.
Prior to his injury, Ben was an avid bike rider. Ben grew up on a dairy farm and scored his first set of wheels, a Peewee motorbike, when he was just six years old. Ben's love of wheels continued through to highschool. When Ben was 15 he competed in downhill, cross country and dual slalom mountain bike racing and travelled far and wide to compete. Ben started a school-based apprenticeship at Pump N Pedals, Cairns, a 90-minute drive from home, courtesy of his mum.
After his accident Ben worked with his physiotherapist on his balance and endurance so he could return to his favourite sport. In Jun 2021 Ben took part in the C2K, Cairns to Kurumba race. Ben cycled the 4 km straight leg of the race beside the railroad at Atherton, on his three-wheeler mountain bike.
In 2023 Ben commenced fundraising to have an an adapted 4-wheeler mountain bike built, worth $22,000. Ben not only wanted to be able to cycle again but also drive participation, competition and promotion of regional adaptive mountain biking. Ben and local community groups, including FNQ Health and Fitness, raised $15,000 through various raffles and concerts, with $7,000 still remaining to complete his dream project.
Ben's FNQ exercise physiologist was successful in her application to the Royal Rehab Foundation to fund the remaining amount of $7,000 for his dream wheels.
This great news just so happened to coincide with Ben's birthday on 26 July 2024!
More about this positive story can be found in Ben's local press.
