11-year-old Max lives on Calindary Station, 260kms North East of Broken Hill in Far West NSW.
Several months ago, Max was in a motorbike accident on the property, leading to a broken right femur, and dislocated right hip which resulted in damage to his sciatic nerve.
His mother, Hayley, immediately phoned Community First Responder, Mia, at the Packsaddle Roadhouse to arrange a retrieval team, and then phoned the Royal Flying Doctor Service Broken Hill Base to inform them of Max’s injuries.
They requested the RFDS team fly out to Shannon’s Creek airstrip, 60kms from Calindary Station, where the retrieval team would transfer Max to meet the Royal Flying Doctor Service team. By the time Max got to the strip, the Royal Flying Doctor team were already there waiting for him.
According to Max’s mum, Hayley, the flight helped put her at ease.
“The support of staff was nothing short of fantastic. I was told what to expect when Max arrived at the hospital so I was never taken by surprise. They were reassuring and compassionate and it made me feel very calm as a parent,” she says.
“The doctors from the Service have continued to check in on Max and the family, even now, several months later. We have really appreciated their support.”
It has now been three months since Max’s accident and his bones and sciatic nerve are healing as expected, according to his Orthopaedic surgeons.
Max is expected to make a full recovery within 12 months.
