Nobody’s Bulletproof: one of life’s lessons

A teenage girl, a Navy officer, a young man engaged to be married, and a trainee golf professional have spoken out about how their lives have changed forever after damaging their spinal cords at the launch of a new DVD promoting injury prevention today. The four sustained their spinal cord injuries over the past four years, with Gold Coast resident James Sprenger, who sustained his injury celebrating at a buck’s party, still in the Spinal Unit at the PA Hospital after a diving accident in April 2007.

The other interviewees are:
• Cairns resident Ian Chill, a former Navy officer, who fell down a cliff while on a peacekeeping mission in the Solomon Islands;
• Former rugby player Malakai Tava, from Mt Gravatt East, who was engaged to be married has quadriplegia after being dumped by a wave; and
• Paddington resident Amber VanDam, 19, who was skylarking in the boot of a speeding car when it crashed.

During the past two decades, the Spinal Education Awareness Team (SEAT) program has been providing practical information on how to keep safe on the roads, in the water, on the sports field, at home and in the classroom.

The new DVD, Nobody’s Bulletproof, is a powerful addition to SEAT’s existing program, and will be shown to secondary school students and at workplaces throughout Queensland in to help reduce the incidence of spinal cord injuries.

Spinal Injuries Association CEO Mark Henley said the latest statistics from the PA Hospital’s Spinal Unit indicated that the number of spinal cord injuries in Queensland had decreased during the past 20 years, despite huge population growth.

“Coinciding with the success of the SEAT program, which has grown exponentially since its inception in 1987, rates of spinal cord injury in this state have decreased,” Mr Henley said.

“The SEAT program has shared valuable safety messages with more than one million children during the past two decades, and it is heartening to see a decrease in the incidence of spinal cord injuries.”

The new DVD resource was officially launched today by Spinal Injuries Association’s patron and Governor of Queensland, Ms Quentin Bryce AC, at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The DVD was proudly funded by the Queensland Government’s Gambling Community Benefit Fund and will complement the existing injury prevention program run by SEAT.

Mr Henley said the emotive DVD profiled four people with spinal cord injuries, who range in age from 19 to early 40s.

“Nobody’s Bulletproof provides viewers with an insight into the life of a person with a spinal cord injury, by demonstrating the consequences of risky behaviour,” he said.

“The emotional accounts of their accidents makes for compelling viewing and offers powerful advice on how to stay safe on roads, in water and in the workplace.”

Mr Henley said interviewees shared their experiences, and talked about personal issues and the impacts their injuries have had on their lives in order to educate the community and promote awareness of the importance of safety.

“Those who participated in the DVD wanted to help save lives and make a difference,” he said.

“If someone hears their message and they can save just one life, then they’ve done their job.

“It’s about community engagement, community safety and community spirit.”

Issued 18 February 2008.