Paul’s on the mend!

Paul Chipperfield and his wife Jenny would like to say thank you to community members for the support they have been given since Paul, a well-known local bus driver, was left with severe spinal injuries after an accident in May last year.

Such an accident would have been horrific at any time, but with the Covid lockdown in place, Paul also found himself isolated from family and friends for months; first after spinal surgery at the Alfred Hospital where he had vertebrae fused together and screws put in place, and then at the Caulfield Rehabilitation Centre.

While Jenny travelled up regularly to deliver him clean clothes, toiletries and other requirements, she was not permitted to visit him inside the Centre. And until wheelchair-friendly modifications to the family home could be made, Paul was not able to come home.

His family missed him terribly, as he did them, and just wanted Paul to be able to come home to a safe environment where he would be loved and cared for.

To this end, A Go Fund Me Page was set up by friends to raise funds for the modifications.

The Go Fund Me Page raised $9500, and this amount was supplemented by collection tins placed in a number of island businesses, as well as the auction of a beautiful kimono by Youkis.

The funds raised covered the works required to the family home, and Paul was finally able to return home after four months away, at the end of September.

It took two months before he was able to stand on his own, and two more months of rehabilitation as he learned to walk again. 

At this stage, Paul is unsure if and when he will be able to return to his much- loved job as bus driver for the kids who attend the Bass Coast Special School in Wonthaggi. But he is working on it.

The cheerful and friendly Paul is described as a great friend to the children under his care en route to and from school daily, and he would like to get back to this.

Before the May accident, Paul was no stranger to suffering. He lost a leg some decades ago in a boating accident, at the age of 23. But he recovered and has used a prosthetic limb to function normally since then.

On the mend

The good news is that after a very difficult time, Paul is on the way to recovery.

He is in an electric wheelchair and making great progress with his walking.

He still uses a frame and needs to hold on to the rails along the ramp that has been built at his home.
But Paul and Jenny are very optimistic.

“It will take time, but he will get there,” says Jenny.

“We are hoping for the best outcome.”

Jenny and Paul wish to thank everyone in the community for their good wishes and support.

“Everyone in the community has been amazing. Their support has been fantastic. Thank you does not seem to be enough from us. But a big thank you to everyone.”

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