TEENAGER from Newport, 17-year-old, Mckenzie, suffered a life-altering accident in October 2023 when his motorbike skidded on wet leaves. The crash left him paralysed, and since then, he’s faced a long recovery, enduring multiple surgeries and months in intensive care. Despite his resilience, Mckenzie is now confined to an unsuitable wheelchair and remains in hospital, awaiting proper accommodation.
The NHS has provided a temporary wheelchair, but it fails to meet Mckenzie’s needs, especially in preventing further bedsores. His family and his Auntie, Jade Phillips, are seeking to raise £5,000 through GoFundMe to secure a custom chair and install a ramp at his mother’s home. Without these essential modifications, Mckenzie’s independence is severely compromised.
Mckenzie’s injuries were severe. He spent 10 days in intensive care, relying on machines to breathe and regulate his body. After a difficult spinal operation, which involved inserting plates between T1 and T6 and a donor bone graft, doctors discovered that Mckenzie had scoliosis in addition to the spinal injuries sustained in the crash. The family initially hoped that his paralysis was temporary and due to spinal shock, but their worst fears were confirmed when they were told it was permanent.
After intensive care, Mckenzie faced further setbacks when he developed a grade 4 bedsore due to inadequate care in a trauma ward. The sore delayed his recovery by months and caused significant pain and distress. Mckenzie’s rehabilitation has been interrupted multiple times, including a serious bout of sepsis over Christmas, which saw him rushed back to intensive care.
A major challenge is that Mckenzie’s family home is not accessible for his needs. The local council has refused to make essential modifications to the house because of his age, leaving him stuck in hospital until more suitable accommodation becomes available. His mother’s home lacks basic accessibility features, such as a downstairs toilet, and the bathroom is not equipped to allow him to manage his care. Worse, there are 12 steep steps leading to the entrance, and Mckenzie currently has to be carried in and out of the house, an unsafe process for a young man trying to reclaim his dignity.
In addition to the inaccessible home, Mckenzie’s current wheelchair, on loan from the hospital, is unsuitable for his needs, particularly in preventing further bedsores. Unfortunately, the NHS will not provide the fully tailored wheelchair he requires until he has been paralysed for three years. The wheelchair he needs costs upwards of £5,000, and the family is now turning to the community for help.
So far, the campaign has raised £915 from 55 generous donors, but more help is needed to meet the goal. Jade and her family have been making daily 50-minute trips to the hospital since the accident. While Mckenzie is now able to leave the hospital for day visits, the lack of accessibility at home makes these visits a significant challenge.
Any contribution to the GoFundMe campaign will make a significant difference in Mckenzie’s life, helping him to reclaim his independence. Jade Phillips hopes that the community can come together to support her nephew in this challenging time, ensuring that he can move forward with the comfort, mobility, and accessibility every person deserves.
