Matts Move Home

Hey okay, so early 2014 my cousin had a fall in his home in Toronto. He damaged the vertebrae in his neck and is now in a wheel chair. I am trying to help my cousin and family by raising money to go towards all the expensive changes they are having to make to their home. I have decided to do a triathlon on the 14th of February, yes valentines day! So romantic.. in hopes that you guys will support myself, my cause, and my family in reaching my $1500.00 target! Thank you so much for reading, every little bit helps!

Here is a little bit from Matt explaining what happened,

"Hi, my name is Matt and I was born and raised in Wellington. I married a Canadian and now live north of

Toronto, Canada.

On the morning of April 24, 2014 I tripped and fell down 15 stairs in my house. I hit the door frame at the bottom of the stairs with my head. The impact damaged the C5 and C6 vertebrae in my neck (just above the knob of bone at the base of the neck) and compressed my spinal cord.

I was taken by ambulance to the local hospital and then flown by helicopter to Toronto, a couple of hours drive away.

The neurosurgeon operated that night to relieve the pressure, grafted bone from my hip to the vertebra and screwed a titanium plate on the inside of the spinal column. he operated again three days later and put a titanium rod on the outside of the same vertebra to stabilise them.

I am now in a wheelchair, I can use my shoulder muscles and biceps but my triceps and hands do not work and neither do my legs. I am in a rehab centre in Toronto for three months. Every day I do physiotherapy and occupational therapy. I am getting much stronger and can now brush my teeth and shave myself. When I arrived in rehab I could not lift my hand to my mouth but now I can feed myself with a cuff that holds a spoon or fork.

I have been amazed by the generosity of people, especially ones I have never met. Thank you all so much!"