About Spinal Support NZ -

MISSION STATEMENT

Spinal Support NZ endeavours to empower and support people with a spinal cord injury or impairment (SCI) to optimise their health and well-being.

VISION

To educate and enable people with SCI and their whānau, to access the necessary supports and services to live well and have equal opportunities to participate in the social, economic and cultural life of the community.

VALUES

People-Centred

We endeavour to understand, anticipate and respond to the needs and expectations of people with SCI
We recognise and support the importance of whānau in the rehabilitation, development and ongoing wellness of those with SCI
We provide information and resources to people in NZ with SCI.

Collaborative

We provide a team of Peer volunteers and employees to share their experience and knowledge of SCI
We are committed to honour and develop mutual relationships between the parties of Te Tiriti o Waitangi
We consult and engage with relevant community and government organisations to deliver high quality services.

Integrity

We safeguard the privacy of those we support and respect their culture, values and beliefs
We uphold the highest standards and demonstrate responsible management of our available funds.

A brief history and introduction to Spinal Support NZ

Spinal Support NZ originally TASC was founded in 1991 by a group of high level spinal injured people. TASC gradually evolved into the present organization. Spinal Support NZ and became a registered charity in 2008 (CC23064) and has built up a vast network of volunteers. These volunteers have various experiences and are able to offer moral support, advice and information to patients in the Auckland Rehab Spinal Unit.

Spinal Support NZ covers the same geographical area as the Auckland Spinal Rehabilitation Unit, from New Plymouth, Taupo, across to the Eastern Bay of Plenty, up to Cape Reinga.

Spinal Support NZ is governed by a committee. They meet several times each year to advise and give direction to Society.

Office Staff

Georgia Cameron

Office Manager

Hi, I am Georgia Cameron. My background for the past thirteen years was working for an organisation called ACC. I had multiple roles over these years, the last being working in Assisted Recovery. The best part of this role was being able to help my community in hard times and explaining the next way forward to recovery/independence. My Passion in life is just to be able to help people; when someone is in a sticky situation and we work together to problem solve, the joy on their face or in their voice as they know they have a better understanding of what is going on is just the best feeling.

I am very honoured to know hold the position at Spinal Support as the Northern Regional Manager, I am so excited to help get our new funded programme Community Peer Support off the ground and launched into our Community, after hearing many stories about clients falling through the gaps my goal is to never let this happen again no matter what level your injury or impairment is at. Please if I can help in anyway let me know as I am here for you and I would like to help you along your journey.

Lee Warn

Peer Support Coordinator

Hello there, I’m Lee, and I fell from a scooter (50cc) in 1989, breaking three ribs, puncturing my left lung and smashing T12 in the process rendering me a paraplegic. I struggled with my sense of self for the first four years after my injury and dealing with my spinal injury.

After a friend introduced me get wheelchair racing and sports, I found my life-changing for the better. Since then, I haven’t looked back. I completed dozens of half marathons, a couple of ultra-marathons, climbed the sky tower, competed in a few demolition derbies, completed a radio diploma,

and trained as a primary school teacher. Currently, I’m rebuilding a 1965 Mini Austin van. I have assisted Parafed and TASC several times in the past and now look forward to supporting a more permanent, structured way. I hope through all my exploits and future activities. I can show anything is possible through adaptation. All said and done, I believe everyone has a role to play, like cogs in a clock. There is no good or bad person, only poor decisions.

Some Committee Members

Brendan Terrelle

President

Brendan Tourelle has rejoined the Spinal Support NZ committee as our President. He was previously a member starting in 2000 after a ladder fall in 1999 left him a T4 Para. He is also on the Sailability Auckland Committee, among many others. Brendan is a very keen sailor. Over the years, he has instructed many people living with a disability on the skills they need to learn to sail; many started their sport in the Sailing Simulator set up at the Spinal unit Gym. In 2012 he joined the Spinal Support NZ Art Class, which he really enjoys.

am now the Chairperson of Sailability Auckland, The President of The International Hansa Class as well as the NZ Hansa Class Association, Hansa Class is a Yacht Class it is an open class but many people living with a disability enjoy sailing these boats. I’m also on the disability advisory Committee to Yachting New Zealand. I also really enjoy the Spinal Support NZ’s Art Classes which is held on a Tuesday Afternoon. This Art Class is a great initiative which teaches many inspiring Artists the skill they need, it’s great confidence boosted and many of the Artists are learning how to mouth painting, the class has some great camaraderie among the pupils, all help each other. So thank you Spinal Support NZ for being such a positive part of my life.

https://spinalsupport.nz/about-spinal-support-nz/#:~:text=YachtingNewZealand

Richie Tuki

Vice President

I’m Richie and I have been in a chair since 1999, brought about by a swimming accident on the Mount. I have a passion for painting as it helps me express my inner thoughts and emotions when words aren’t enough to communicate. In 2014, I engaged myself with the MFPA association as a mouth painter. This association helps as it seems to bring and represent our unspoken self – a way of expressing your thoughts, feelings and ideas.

t is somewhat relieving for people like me to develop and pick up ourselves slowly, getting ourselves functioning independently to the most optimum level as we can, and having someone who could understand and empathise with us will give a lifting motivation and so it is what I found in Spinal Support NZ I had been with this association for 3 years and it is where we extend help with each other to the give out prime support to the betterment of the wheelchair community. After all, being in wheelchair doesn’t validate someone’s worth.

Dean Brennan

Publicly Officer

Dean has been involved with Spinal Support NZ since 2004; He won HNZ 2007 Open Garden award. He has been learning website design for some time and offered his help to develop our website.

Dean immigrated from the UK in 1990 and had an accident during a fight at home with a friend in 1997, making him a C4 Tetraplegic. He was a supervisor Gardner and volunteer fireman based at West Harbor, so he continued the need to be of some use. He is married to Eleanor and has 2 daughters,

they became followers of Jesus in 2004 and hope to be doing His will every day. “Sometime in 2004 Pam Ferguson asked me to help with the Spinal Support NZ website giving me confidence and a purpose so I continued to help nonprofits to get online voluntarily, I now manage a charitable trust that offers nonprofit organizations free website development and coaches the physically and mentally impaired anything using video tutorials see www.itsaccessible.net.nz