By Annette Campbell
One rainy day late in 1985, Kelly McCann’s life changed forever.
“Mum was just driving home from the shops when the car went out of control and into another car,” Kelly explains. “My older brother Kevin died and I suffered severe spinal injuries. I’ve been a ventilated quadriplegic ever since.”
Kelly was only three at the time, and says she’s never known any other life.
“In some ways that’s been a blessing, but sometimes not,” she adds. “If it had happened later in life, I’d know what I’d lost straight away. But I’m just finding out what I’ve lost, now.” Kelly, now living with her father near Campbelltown, west of Sydney in NSW, is proud to be an ambassador for Spinal Cord Injuries Australia. And she certainly is a phenomenal role model.
“I do most things — it’s just a matter of finding a different way,” she says. “And even though there are people there to help, at the end of the day it’s you who does it.”
Kelly went to a specialised school at first, but was integrated into a normal public high school. Since finishing school, Kelly’s travelled (with three nurses) to the US and Europe.
“At one stage I was told I couldn’t travel, but I did,” she smiles. “Before I travelled I was angry at the world and at everyone. But after seeing how a lot of other people are living, I started to think: ‘What have I got to complain about?’ I know people care for me. The experiences I had overseas really opened my eyes.”
Kelly’s even had a go at surfing.
“I was helped to catch a wave … it was great!” she beams. “I fell off, though, and gave everyone a heart attack — myself included!”
Kelly’s also been studying counselling for the last three years. “I’m hoping to be able to help others with disabilities and give them some tools to improve their lives,” she says. “It means that I’ve done the hard work for a good reason — to help.”
Kelly has a couple of important messages for us all.
“I want to let people know that, whether you’re playing football or swimming in a river, something like this can happen in a flash,” she says. “One instance can change your whole life. I don’t want anyone to go through what I did.”
“Oh … and remember that we’re still normal people … just sitting down, that’s all.”
Spinal Cord Injuries Awareness Week is from November 14-20.
The focus of this national event is the prevention, care and cure of spinal cord injuries. Kelly is also an ambassador for the planned rehabilitation centre for people who have just acquired a spinal injury. To celebrate the planned centre there will be an open day on November 20.
Read more at: www.scia.org.au or phone Spinal Cord Injuries Australia on: 1800 819 775.
Picture posed by model.
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