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Home » Services » Peer support

Peer Support

We understand acquiring Spinal Cord Damage is a life-changing experience. It’s something that affects every part of life from the physical to the mental, social, and economic, with the journey back to independence often being a challenging one. That’s why we have a Peer Support team. A group of passionate individuals who have lived experience with a Spinal Cord Injury and are there to support you and your family.

What can Peer Support help with?

  • Understand and manage your Spinal Cord Injury/Damage
    • Through 1:1 appointments or family peer support sessions
  • Learn new ways to adapt and problem solve
  • Identify vocational and career opportunities
  • Discover various opportunities for social and sporting connections and physical fitness activities
  • Learn how to reduce risk and improve safety and wellbeing

We provide practical, non-clinical and non-judgmental advice. From managing your mental and physical health, achieving independence, maintaining relationships and more. Our Peer Support team pride themselves on providing honest and helpful advice, with no question being too personal or off limits.

To book a session with one of our Peer Support Officers, just click the ‘enquire now’ button and complete the form.

Find a Community Peer Support group near you

Where do we offer Peer Support?

  • Available in Cairns, Brisbane, Perth
Enquire Now

Download our brochure

Meet our Peer Support Team

The Queensland Peer Support team

Katie Hammond

Tim McCallum

Katie Buckman Peer Support Officer

Katie Buckman

The Western Australia Peer Support team

Jodi Gallon

Jane Hutch

Karen Harvey

Chelsey Phillips

Douglas Milne

Phone: 1300 774 625

Address: 109 Logan Road, Woolloongabba 4102

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Katie Hammond

Katie’s passion for fitness and mental health means she’s constantly pushing her boundaries by trying something different or learning something new every day.

Katie says she’s motivated by keeping a positive attitude and educating herself.

When she’s not spending time with her three daughters and husband Jimmy, Katie uses her experiences to help guide others with newly acquired injury.

Katie often works with patients of the Spinal Injuries Unit at Princess Alexandra Hospital to share advice on life after injury.

In Katie’s own words:

“I give everything a go and never let my disability define who I am or what I’m capable of.

“It’s important to stay positive and push the boundaries of what you’re capable of and I want to inspire others to adopt that same philosophy.”

Tim McCallum

When singer and entertainer Tim first sustained quadriplegia in a diving accident, the doctors told him he would never sing again like he used to.

With determination and plenty of practice, Tim now sings better and louder than ever and went on to gain nation-wide attention during his show-stopping performance on The Voice in 2015.

In Tim’s own words:

“One of the most important things I’ve learnt about living with a spinal cord injury is that you can’t do everything on your own and you need to not be afraid of asking for help sometimes.

“Accessing Peer Support and being able to use the advice and guidance of people with lived experience is an invaluable way to learn to accept your injury and plan your goals and look to the future ahead.”

Katie Buckman Peer Support Officer

Katie Buckman

Katie is passionate about helping others reach their full potential and sharing her lived experiences. Katie knows from her own experience how important a peer support officer was following her injury 13 years ago, and wanted to be able to provide that knowledge and assistance to others.

When Katie is not studying and helping others, she loves keeping active and spending time with her husband and 2 children – either exploring her local parks or hitting the beach with the assistance of her freedom trak or beach matting. She swimming 2-3 times a week and getting out and about as much as possible.  Katie loves  NRL and attends every Brisbane Broncos match at Suncorp stadium.  

“Having heard other people experiences help me get through some tough times and I would like to help others do the same.”  

“persisting through obstacles will help you overcome anything and allow you to live the best life possible. “

Jodi Gallon

For years, Jodi ran informal peer support group for Western Australians living with the rare condition Transverse Myelitis but jumped at the opportunity to work with Spinal Life to provide peer support to a wider network of people with spinal cord damage.

Jodi is Perth born and raised and loves living just a few minutes away from the beach, which she describes as the perfect place to enjoy the salty air, sunshine and plenty of dog spotting!

In Jodi’s own words:

I didn’t have access to peer support when I was in hospital at the age of 13 – now that I’m older, I realise how important it is to have someone to talk to who understands what I’m going through.

Each day living with spinal cord damage is different, so you should not be afraid to ask questions, take control of your health and wellbeing and, of course, always be prepared for the unexpected!

 

Jane Hutch

Jane says the best things in life are usually found outside of your comfort zone, something she discovered for herself when she first tried wheelchair ballroom dancing.

Despite some early nerves, Jane found it was love at first dance and in just a few months, she went on to compete in the national championships in Melbourne!

In Jane’s own words:

“Something important I’ve learnt about living with spinal cord injury, and something that I struggled with myself, is that it’s always okay to ask for help sometimes, no matter how independent you are.

“It’s also important to be patient– what seems impossible today may be possible tomorrow!”

Karen Harvey

Karen knows sustaining a spinal cord injury can leave you feeling down and lost initially but, with purpose and goals, you can still live an enjoyable and fulfilling life.

She keeps herself active by going to the beach or going for a ride on her handcycle, but also enjoys a bit of quiet time on the couch at home watching Netflix.

In Karen’s own words:

“There are times when only someone with the lived experience of having a spinal cord injury themselves can understand what you’re going through and offer advice and solutions to get you back on your way.

“I want to help lift others when they’re down and help them find solutions to become the best person they can be.”

Chelsey Phillips

Chelsey is used to difficult conversations, having talked with people about anything from sustaining a spinal cord injury to end-of-life treatment discussions from her work in aged care homes.

Through it all, Chelsey stays positive and believes that strong relationships and communication can help encourage good will and good attitude through some of the more challenging moments in life.

In Chelsey’s own words:

“Being able to learn from others who have experienced similar struggles is endearing and empowering and I love building strong relationships through understanding, trust, humour and compassion.

“At the end of the day, we all have something to bring to the table!”

Douglas Milne

As a life-long Western Australian, Douglas loves where he lives and says he’s never running out of new things to discover in his state.

When he’s not exploring what WA has to offer, you can find Douglas in his garage at home working at restoring his beloved 1968 GTO Pontiac o down at the local Men’s Shed watching the AFL with friends.

In Douglas’ own words:

“As a Peer Support Officer, I want to help others with spinal cord damage to realise their potential and live a full life.

“I’m a handy person with a wealth of knowledge which I hope can make a difference in helping others achieve their goals.”