‘I broke my leg mountain biking. The car gave me the freedom and independence needed for my rehab.’
When Sam Arundel ended up with a badly broken leg, a chance discussion with an OT friend put him on route to an ACC-funded car and his ultimate recovery.
“Yeah, it was a pretty decent break,” says Sam with a grimace. You can tell he still recalls the pain over a year on. “It was a good couple of months before I could put any weight on the leg at all, to start walking.” But walking can only take you so far, and for Sam it was nowhere near enough. As owner of plumbing and drainage firm, The Drainage Department in Mt Manganui, not only was Sam out of contention for any physical work himself, it was hard to see how he could effectively keep the business running. With other’s livelihoods at stake, the picture wasn’t good.
Then a chance encounter opened up an avenue Sam hadn’t really known about. “I was having dinner with friends and a guest was an OT, an occupational therapist. She mentioned that some of her clients, with the help of ACC, had managed to get a mobility car.” So Sam made enquiries about the possibility. “The process to get the car didn’t take long at all,” he says. “Once it was all organised the instructor from Freedom Mobility delivered it to the house, then went through all the controls and operation of it.” And while at first it took a little bit of thinking about, Sam soon adapted to the hand controls. “Anyone would get it, really quick. It’s pretty simple and really safe.”
The difference it made to Sam was extraordinary. “The Freedom Mobility car really helped on a number of levels,” he says. “One was just having the freedom and independence to do those day-to-day things that you need to do, like picking up kids and going to the grocery store.” It was also hugely beneficial to his recovery. “With my rehab and recovery, it let me get to appointments and things like that. In my opinion it’s a must-have. Also, with the mental side. Just being able to be free and not stuck or be housebound, or reliant on other people. It was amazing.”
Crucially, the car also allowed Sam to keep the plates spinning on his business: a blessing for his staff. His message to anyone in a similar position is clear–be sure to enquire with ACC about the possibility of getting a car funded. It’s a message echoed by one of Freedom Mobility’s own: Senior Instructor Frank Burksfield. Sadly, Frank was hit by a car outside the Freedom Mobility offices and suffered several injuries, including two broken legs. While Frank had delivered modified vehicles and training for hundreds of clients, he’d never had to go through the actual experience of being incapacitated himself. It taught him a lot about the process. “Of course I knew that getting a modified car should be possible, but funnily enough not everyone you deal with at ACC knows the same,” says Frank. “The key is to ask whoever you’re dealing with to look into it, and be clear about what you need it for and how you’ll use it: getting to work, dropping off and picking up kids from school, long or multiple trips to the appointments you’ll have to get to, and not having someone who can drive you around to do all this. The first thing some ACC people think of is booking taxis, but can you imagine the expense? Not to mention all the worry about whether they’ll come.”
For Frank, knowing how easy it is to get to grips with a hand-control car and the benefits it brings, the experience makes him eager to see people get the help they need. “These are the same kind of cars people with spinal cord injuries drive. There’s really nothing to be daunted by.” Frank, of course, is used to making it easy for people. “We come to you and take you through the controls and how they work. Then we’ll go somewhere quiet and let you have a go,” he says. “Once you’re comfortable with the controls we go through some common manoeuvres like indicating, three-point turns, reversing, parking and emergency stops. With a final bit of practice on some roads and routes you typically drive, you’ll quickly be happy and confident.”
The final word belongs to Sam. “The team at Freedom Mobility are really helpful,” he says. “From a patient’s point of view, they make life easy. Bringing the car here, they were really accommodating. And once I got the car they were truly supportive right the way through.”
The conclusion, from Sam and Frank, is clear: if you or someone you know has a disabling injury, be sure to ask ACC about a modified car, or get in touch with the friendly team at Freedom Mobility. Like them, you’ll find it life-changing.
Further Resources
Top tips on how to manage with a leg injury at home
Video Resources: Browse our videos to see what a hand control car is, and how you drive them.
