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Finding hope through tai chi – Pete’s story

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The long journey of rehabilitation after a traumatic brain injury is a hard-fought one. While there are huge life adjustments to be made, new life opportunities can arise.

Pete van den Heuvel understands this more than most, as his life took turns no one would envision.

Before his accident, Pete lived a comfortable life with his family on a lifestyle block in rural Canterbury. He worked as a sales rep, working with geosynthetic lining in large million-dollar horticulture projects across the South Island. He was fit, right into his mountain biking, and was deep into training for an oncoming corporate relay race.

“It was just as well my cardio was good, what happened next was a freak accident,” says Pete.

After doing some work on the family motorbike, Pete test drove it around his home. Suddenly, Pete found himself in contact with a concrete strainer post. The post hit him at speed in the chest, wrecking his shoulder and shattering his ribcage.

“It came down to a hair. I was able to phone home from the driveway. My breaths got shorter and shorter, I could hear the sirens from the ambulances and fire engines. The helicopter arrived and I just stopped breathing.”

Two paramedics kept Pete alive on the flight to the hospital, as his damaged lungs eventually stopped working, causing a cardiac arrest. The severe lack of oxygen supplied to the brain resulted in a hypoxic brain injury, and the cells in his frontal lobe were impaired.

Pete spent the next month in ICU, as well as a couple of weeks in the hospital ward, before some time in Burwood. It was a very challenging few months as he underwent surgeries all over his body. Six titanium ribs later, his shoulder and ribcage were rebuilt.

From major aspects such as his balance, down to the simple tasks like reading his watch, Pete was in a bad way.

“From the inside looking out, I thought I was alright. But you don’t realise quite how bad it was. I was repeating myself all of the time, asking the same questions. But, with my rib cage and knee and everything, it was the brain injury that was the big one.”

After his time in hospital, Pete was admitted to us at the Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust. Pete said it was unnerving at first, as so much happened behind the scenes he was unaware of.

“At first I was like, what kind of place is this? But the staff are just gold, they’re all so professional and just lovely. There is an army of amazing people out there behind the scenes who are there when you need them.”

After a few days, Pete settled into the process, as he came to see the areas that needed to work on. His balance was off, his vision was impaired, he had memory loss, and his cognition was off, leading to little control of tone, mood, anxiety and periods of fatigue.

Rehabilitation started with the basics – sticking to a daily routine, feeding himself, making it to appointments one by one. Sessions of physiotherapy and fatigue management, as well as sleep therapy, were especially helpful for Pete.

“Sleep therapy was really helpful, I learnt I had to tone things down. That was really good therapy, because man, you need to sleep! I was lucky they taught me the daily things.”

After three months away from home, Pete returned for what became the long journey of recovery. Essential to Pete’s Journey were Psychologist David Tie, and Occupational Therapist Lesley Bensley.

“They’ve spent years, looking after me. It was good because you go through such emotional highs and lows, especially like when you lose your career.”

“Pete always aspired to be the very best he could be and learning to do that within the constraints of his injury was his biggest challenge. He never gave up,” says David Tie, Psychologist.

In the five years since his accident, Pete has learned strategies to manage new, sometimes frightening aspects of life. Learning how to combat his fatigue, managing temper when he sees wrong, keeping a good diet to stay healthy – he slowly improved, managing life better each day that passed.

“Pete has always been committed to his rehabilitation,” says Lesley Bensley, Occupational Therapist. “He ensures strategies to manage his symptoms and initiates realistic and positive plans for moving forward.”

“A large part of the strategy is learning the confidence to say when you need a break,” says Pete. “There are times when I will say to my good friends that my anxiety is through the roof. Learning to speak up and take the time to relax in stressful environments. This is how I got into tai chi!”

After enjoying some pilates classes, Pete stumbled onto tai chi and found it was the perfect environment for him. There was a great social atmosphere, and the actions helped Pete synchronise his mind, brain, and balance.

“I thought, ‘wow, this is great,’ you’re always searching for something for you. What can I do?”

A master instructor for tai chi makes her way to Christchurch annually for grading. Pete was interested and decided to check it out. What he didn’t expect was to pass the grading, and it gave him immense confidence moving forward.

After visiting a tai chi class for the elderly, Pete was sparked with a passion for helping others. Before long, Pete set up a tai chi studio to begin practicing in his own home. His long-term goal is to teach tai chi to help with arthritis and fall prevention.

“Some of these elderly people had rough balance, but within six or so weeks you could see a real improvement. Just reminding them how good they’re doing, their confidence and walking always improve. Once you lose that mobility things are hard, so it is awesome to help people there.”

At the end of 2021, Pete sat the grading for arthritis and fall prevention tai chi and passed! He is currently working hard on getting his home studio up and running and is taking the steps to become ACC registered. As well as his goals for his home studio, Pete is also being voluntary work at Ashburton House to aid staff with stress release during breaks.

“It’s great for me because it’s a destination. It is something I’m gonna aim for. These days I am better at seeing those who are vulnerable. I know how horrible that feels. So I try my best to just make that person feel comfortable.”

It is this greater empathy that has truly changed Pete’s life, as he feels more aware of people’s challenges around him.

“We don’t have a bandage on our heads. Now I might see someone who looks a little out of the norm. In the past, I would have thought ‘what a rude person!’ But now it’s like, ‘oh, hang on a minute’. There can be a lot behind a person.”

Pete’s life has changed dramatically since his accident. While there will forever be challenges, there are many exciting opportunities arising, and good life to look forward to. The future looks bright as he endeavours to help those around him. He encourages those in a similar situation to seek out something to hold on to.

“It’s a long tough road for people, for themselves, their loved ones, their caregivers. If you can just find one small thing to hold onto, for me it was tai chi, where you feel like you can do something with it. Grab that hope with both hands and hang in there.”

Finding the old Scott – Scott’s Story

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If you were to come across Scott Clark, you would find a family man. An enthusiastic worker, who undertakes long physically demanding hours as a butcher, a union delegate, a leader of his local motorsport club.

What you may not see when you come across Scott is that at the end of 2020 he nearly lost his life after a car incident left him with a broken body, and a traumatic brain injury.

Before his accident, Scott worked as a freezing worker for ANZCO. It was a physically demanding job, requiring high levels of hand-eye coordination, while remaining quick and tidy. He would pride himself in his work, where he had spent 19 years of his life. He was a trusted member of the team, nominated by his room of 35 to represent them as a union delegate, and would even sharpen their knives.

As well as his work, Scott would pride himself in his hobbies. He loved his cars and was a member of the Ashburton Car Club Committee where he would help organise street sprints, track, and other events.

“That’s the sort of person that I found it hard to try and get back to,” says Scott, “It’s been a very, very challenging year.”

Coming to the end of 2020, Scott noted that the club had not done a gravel event for a few years. As he lived out in the country, he raised his hand and offered to scout a gravel track in rural Ashburton.

And so, Scott got hard at work in not only the creation of the event, but the improvement of his own car. He did not only want to create his own event and have a go, he wanted to be a contender!

As well as the hours it took to organise the event, Scott was working overtime at work, which involved eleven-hour days. As the event drew near, he worked for fourteen days straight for eleven hours, while also spending long nights working on his car to make it the best it could be.

One night, Scott worked on his car at his brother’s workshop until 3am, before deciding to drive home.

“I should have stayed the night at his place. I should have stayed on the couch, that would have been much safer.”

Around 4:30am, Scott fell asleep while driving and hit a power pole, not too distant from his home. It was a rainy night and he was not found until 7am, soaking wet and unconscious.


The ambulance arrived at 7:45am, and Scott was eventually airlifted to Christchurch Hospital. He was so cold from his time in the rain that they could not take his temperature until they made it back to the hospital.

Scott’s month-long stay in the hospital included six days in an induced coma, as well as surgery to both his hip and ankle. He had a hematoma in the head, bruising and bleeding in the brain, and a traumatic brain injury.

“It was kind of weird because I actually don’t remember the first three weeks after the accident. I didn’t even know how to use a straw. It’s not until you look back at how bad you were, that you realize how far you’ve come. It is amazing to see, but scary to go through.”

Naturally, recovery on this scale would present a huge challenge, as Scott had to relearn the basics of walking, talking, and self-care. After a month in hospital, Scott found himself in regular sessions with us at the Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust in psychology, physiotherapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy.

“It was very painful. And I felt like everyone is going to be expecting Scott to be back. But sessions with David my psychologist helped hugely. He’d say ‘if you’re going to climb a mountain, don’t look up to the top, take it day by day.’ He’s helped me a lot through this”

A second surgery to the hip eight months after the first meant he had to learn how to walk a second time, setting back his recovery once again. Through the challenges, Scott continued to focus on his future with the support of staff.

“The staff are lovely, and they’re all like psychologists in a way too. They’re someone to help you through the tough times, talk through the complications you’ve been having, and why you are feeling the way you are. I really appreciate everything they’ve done for me.”

“It has been a real pleasure and privilege to work with Scott and his family on his rehabilitation journey,” says Laura Silcock, one of our wonderful Speech-Language Therapists who worked closely with Scott. “It has been phenomenal to see how far he has come. Scott is incredibly driven and motivated, exceeding expectations and achieving all of the goals that he has set for himself. Despite experiencing setbacks along the way, Scott always greets us with a smile and works hard in every session. The results that he has achieved are a true testament to his work ethic and supportive network, especially his wife Lisa.”

A little over a year after his accident, Scott has recently returned to part-time work as a freezing worker, with the plan to return to full-time work by the end of February. To prepare, he has been working half days, before heading onto the gym to strengthen himself.

“The harder you work now, the easier it is going to be in the long run. That is the way I have had to work through this brain injury.”

Scott has also made a triumphant return to motorsport, recently taking part in a gravel event where he placed fifth in a field of 27. In previous years, he had twice been club champion by gaining the most points in their 15-20 races each year. While reclaiming the title may be out of immediate reach, Scott thinks he can claim it again in the future. He also hopes to one day return to his role as a union delegate.

While one may think Scott’s plans for the future may be too ambitious, Scott says working hard is the best advice he can give to those going through traumatic brain injury.

“One of the best pieces of advice that I got that I can pass on I got from my GP, he said ‘whatever you do, do not shelter yourself, don’t hide from things. If opportunities are there, take them.’ At first, I didn’t leave my lounge, I wanted to hide away. Taking opportunities is the best thing you can do for yourself.”

With his wife Lisa by his side, as well as his kids Max, Kyle, and Keeley, Scott has worked hard to return to “the old Scott.” However, if you were to come across Scott today, you would not find the old Scott. You would find a stronger man, with an incredible outlook on life, and an inspirational story to tell.

“I want to try and inspire even one person in a similar situation to mine. You will climb out of this hole. You might think ‘how am I ever going to get out of this?’ or ‘hopefully one day I wake up and it will all be better,’ but it’s not like that. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, there is a way out of this hole.”

You have to believe in yourself – Khadag’s story

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Khadag Bista was born in Hariyon, Nepal. He was a chef and worked for many restaurants around the world. He was an active man and had a love for travelling, swimming, and most of all, food.

On the 31st of January 2018, Khadag had a serious car accident on Arundel Rakaia Gorge Road near Mayfield. He sustained a traumatic brain injury as well as many broken bones.

Following his accident, he spent 22 days in a coma in Christchurch Hospital. Ten days after the accident, his wife Sabita arrived in New Zealand from Nepal.

“His whole body was like a statue; he couldn’t walk, talk or eat. Little by little, there was progress. Slowly, slowly over a long time,” she says.

After 41 nights minimally conscious in Christchurch Hospital, Khadag moved to the rehabilitation unit at the Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust. He saw many therapists over his six-month stay. Speech-language therapists to help him relearn how to speak and eat again. Occupational therapists to help him practice everyday activities. Physiotherapists to help him stand and walk. Psychologists to help him adjust to his new life. And nurses to help him with his day-to-day life.

“Everyone tried hard to help me, and I slowly improved,” he says.

Khadag has put an incredible effort into his rehabilitation.

“Khadag is a very resilient and perseverant man,” says Naomi Siva a Rehab Coach of Khadag’s. “I have never seen him give up on any task we attempt. He is always keen to give a task his best go no matter how hard it is.

In August of 2018, Khadag, Sabita, and their two sons moved into a house in Christchurch. Khadag remains in ongoing rehabilitation but can now walk with a walker, eat, drink and communicate again.

He became an essential member of the Can Do Catering service, a social enterprise that employs residents and clients of the Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust. Can Do Catering allowed Khadag to rekindle his passion and to achieve what had seemed impossible, by once again becoming a chef.

“Khadag started working with the Can Do team as a volunteer,” says Vicky Harris, Catering Manager at Can Do Catering. “In those days peeling a carrot was quite challenging for him. However, it gave him great joy to be involved with food preparation again. In 2021 he became a paid employee and would often provide his own recipes. With support from our rehab staff, he prepared a main meal for our small group living clients. Cooking feeds his soul!”

After an incredibly challenging few years, Khadag has a positive outlook on life and encourages people to stay positive.

“I think my positive thoughts help me to recover. Whatever happens, happens. What will be, will be. What can I do? You need to accept help from others. You have to believe in yourself – if you do, then you can do it!”

Te Orewai residents thrilled with vehicle donated by Miles Toyota

The wonderful team at Miles Toyota has donated a Toyota Rav4 to the Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust for use at our new Te Orewai small group living site. The vehicle is used to transport their clients to and from GP appointments, workplaces, shops, and other day to day activities.

Kim, a resident of Te Orewai, says “Thank you so much for our new vehicle. It is a joy to drive around in and so good to have a vehicle that we can use daily. It’s nice to travel around in a vehicle that has good visibility and easy to get in and out of.”

“it is massively helpful having the car,” says CEO Kathryn Jones. “All of those using a walker can get into it safely, and there is plenty of room for luggage on holidays to Hanmer Springs.”

To give back in a small way, LFBIT has been providing workplace warrant of fitness sessions to the staff at Miles Toyota provided by our dedicated team of specialists.

CEO of Miles Toyota, Mark Mills, has supported our commercial relationship for many years through the supply of multiple vehicles to LFBIT. “We provide fit-for-purpose vehicles to help transport and retrain people with injuries and make modifications when needed – like supply and fit hand controls. LFBIT is a great organisation with a strong community focus and aligns well with our values and commitments.”

We are tremendously grateful for the continuous generosity and support that Miles Toyota provide to help our mission of providing “ordinary life opportunities” for our clients.

MILES TOYOTA
221 Montreal Street, Christchurch 8011
PO Box 22482, Christchurch 8140

0275 532678
03 379 0610
MMills@miles.co.nz
www.toyota.co.nz/miles-toyota

Staff Appreciation Post: Lorna

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If you have ever found yourself at Brougham St, you’re likely to have found yourself the joy of meeting Lorna, our wonderful receptionist. While she will be the first person you see at the front desk, her contributions to LFBIT go far beyond, and it is safe to say we would not be the same without her!

Lorna has worked with LFBIT for just over a year, after searching for work not by role, but rather with an organisation she believes in. Her favourite parts of the job vary from day to day, but she loves working with the team every day and being helpful wherever she can. “The clients are pretty amazing,” Lorna adds, “I just try to add a little bit of humour or joy to their day as they walk in.”

Lorna is also part of the wellness committee, which was established this year to increase the support and wellness of staff. A role on this team has been a natural fit for Lorna, aligning well with her personal interests and strengths. The wellness committee is exploring ways to help staff in their work and home lives using methods from our very own psychologists, occupational therapists, and the rest of the team, to try and build a nurturing environment for all.

“One thing I really love about the organisation as a whole is that there is an openness to improving and actually trying to make this workplace not just amazing, supportive, and life-changing for the clients, but also for the staff.”

There are some very important next steps Lorna sees for the wellness committee, the top priority being the introduction of a therapy cat. And she has one in mind, being her own, Ryleigh! “He would be an important member, he’s got a lot of important ideas along the lines of ‘meow,’ and can bring some unique things to the table – ‘perhaps some fur with a dose of serotonin and dopamine,’ anyone?”

In addition to her efforts to increase staff wellness, Lorna is also a champion of inclusiveness at LFBIT. There has been an effort to increase the acknowledgement and incorporation of biculturalism. This has included incorporating te reo into signage, the encouragement of staff to speak, and openness to learn more about the language.

“We have been working with our amazing cultural advisor Francis Fasso, baby steps that will hopefully lead us to the bigger picture. I think we are making an active effort in improving and making sure everyone is included, not just with culture but with sexuality, race, religion. We try to approach it with a holistic point of view.”

Lorna’s work is much appreciated among staff. “Lorna is more than just a receptionist; she’s the glue that holds Brougham St together,” says Megan Bond, Clinical Administrator for the Assessment Team. “There is so much that she does for us that we have no idea about and we would be lost without her. She’s a favourite with clients and staff alike and a joy to work with.”

Lorna says it is awesome to see the growth in awareness of LFBIT since she started working here. “The staff are amazing and deserve so much credit for the hard work they do, and for the care and attention that they put into every day. They genuinely change lives and I hope they realise that.”

This admiration goes both ways! We are so thankful for all of the work that Lorna does for LFBIT, and are grateful for the cheery culture she creates right from the front door!

Staff Appreciation Post: Lynette Harrop

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While we have an amazing team on our frontline, we have an equally amazing team who work behind the scenes and create a foundation for our services. If you’re lucky, you will have the pleasure of meeting Lynette Harrop, our Senior Payroll Officer/HR Advisor, who is one of the kindest and helpful people you will meet.

Lynette has always loved working with figures, starting in a payroll position in Australia, and has been hooked ever since. It is one of the rare roles where Lynette is able to deal with all team members within the organisation, which is something she has always enjoyed.

The role of the Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust in the community is something that Lynette has come to have a great appreciation for. She says, “I feel everyone shares the same vision and is dedicated to the mission of helping clients both in the community and our residential home.”

“I consider it a privilege to work with Lynette,” says Alison Klopper LFBIT Human Resources Manager. “She has a wealth of Payroll and HR knowledge, with over 20 years of that experience gained in the healthcare industry. Lynette has a very calm, friendly demeanour and takes everything she is asked to do in her stride. She has taught me much about the intricacies of payroll and I look forward to many more years of us working together.”

With our recent move to Brougham Street, Lynette is happy to be in the new office, and for the opportunity to work around the team. She is looking forward to moving to our purpose-built facility, where all staff at LFBIT can work under one roof.

A special new trike for Wendy, resident at Te Orewai!

When Wendy, one of our residents at Te Orewai, had her second fall from her two-wheeler bike in the space of a few weeks, she knew that it was time for a change. An Occupational Therapist’s assessment confirmed that her balance was not as good as it had been and that riding down to the shops on her bike was going to have a lot of risks associated with it.

Wendy briefly considered a mobility scooter, but she was keen to maintain her fitness levels, so an adult trike was the next option. Wendy, together with Ron, Manager at Te Orewai, undertook some research and decided that The Cycle Trading Company on Elgin Street in Sydenham had a very good range.

They were welcomed by Rick Lamb who showed them the options. Wendy was keen to try a very stylish and sporty looking metallic red trike. Rick confirmed that it was the right height for Wendy, and gave her some tips on the difference between riding a two-wheeler and a trike. After five minutes of riding around the forecourt, Wendy found that the bike was really easy to ride, was very stable, and it had a comfortable seat!

The next task was to choose a new helmet out of an impressive range of styles. Wendy chose a stars and stripes helmet reminiscent of the Easy Rider movie.

While they were shopping, Wendy told Rick that she was the first woman in New Zealand to race sprint cars and that it had been quite challenging as not all the men were keen on being beaten by a woman. As the arrangements for the assembly and delivery of the new trike were being made, Rick asked Wendy what her old racing number was.

A few days later, the trike was delivered, and Wendy was delighted. Despite it being a damp, showery day, she was quick to get on and go for a ride.

The biggest surprise for Wendy was that Rick had arranged for a sign-writer to put her old racing number (26) on her helmet, as well as the front and the back mudguards of the bike. In addition, as a gift from one racing driver to another, Rick gifted the helmet to Wendy, refusing to let her pay for it.

“The small donation was the least I could do,” says Rick. “I was touched when I met Wendy. When she told me she used to race cars, I instantly felt connected. Plus, I really wanted to put a smile on her face!”

Wendy was blown away at his generous offer and says that the racing numbers reminded her of her younger days when she was racing sprint cars, showing the men that women can do anything!

Thank you for coming to our Art and Sculpture Exhibition!

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Staff Appreciation Post: Laura Silcock

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This week is Speech-Language Therapy Awareness Week, and we are thrilled to highlight the work of Laura Silcock, one of the wonderful speech-language therapists in our team at the Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust.

Laura studied speech and language therapy at the University of Canterbury, before moving to Auckland where she began working in brain injury, and has done for the last seven years. Six months ago, Laura joined our community team and has been working within there, as well as helping out in our assessment and residential teams, and within our Reconnect community support group.

The role of a speech-language therapist is a lot more involved than the title suggests. Naturally, the physical execution of speech and the construct and idea of language is a huge part of the role. But, in a general sense, the role is more about communication. Laura says, “It’s the thinking that you need to do to communicate, that is one thing that is unique to us as humans, interacting with others through words and facial expressions. Speech-language therapy is about helping people build meaningful connections in their lives, which we do through communication.”

Another large part of the role of an SLT that is rather unknown is the work done to support people with swallowing impairments. The muscles used in speech are also used for swallowing, so, many SLT’s work in this area. “It is really rewarding to help people recover function or improve sufficiency to swallowing function as eating and drinking is a key contributor to quality of life. Seeing someone drink water or eat a burger for the first time is incredibly fulfilling.”

The variety of work is something Laura says is an awesome aspect of working at LFBIT. On a regular day, she will work with many people in different stages of their rehab journey. “No two brain injuries are the same and no two clients are the same. Creating a real client-centred, individualised approach is important, because of that we have to adapt, change and learn, which is really cool. It is challenging and there is always something new!”

The opportunity to work in a team full of different talented professions is another aspect that Laura enjoys. “We get a lot of input from a lot of different professions. Not only is it cool to learn about, but it is also really cool for the client. They get a real holistic view of their life and rehab. You get to see stories of these amazing people doing ordinary things and getting on with life, and it is really special.”

Rangatiratanga, the theme of speech-language therapy week, is the idea of self-determination, and autonomy to make decisions. Laura sees many clients who, because of their communication impairments, have lost an aspect of rangatiratanga. Laura finds it incredibly special to have the opportunity to help those whose voices or challenges may not be acknowledged, helping them participate in ordinary life situations. For one client of Laura’s, it was as simple as being a part of parent-teacher interviews. An activity that many would take for granted, but, it was especially important for the client.

“Not many people know much about the effects of brain injury, so we need to do a lot of work to educate people on how to support these people. Our goal is to help them do the things that they should be a part of and can do if given the right tools and supports.”

We want to honour the work that Laura and all of our speech and language therapists do here at LFBIT. The difference they make in their clients’ lives is truly special. We are so thankful for the way they engage with and care for those they work with.

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