“I’m sorry sir, you are a quadriplegic and will never walk again,” said the doctor to Harris Zachariou, three years ago.
The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do, thought Harry. His first reaction was to tell his doctor that he had no intention of being stuck in a wheelchair, and that he would prove him wrong by walking out of hospital when released.
The Greek Australian dad from Reservoir was employed with Australian Post and was cycling to work, when he was hit by a van in Melbourne’s CBD. After the accident that caused what is called an incomplete spinal cord injury, Harry Zachariou was confined to a wheelchair as a quadriplegic.
This was the moment when he decided to set himself four goals – to walk again, to work full-time again, to finish the ride he had started that fateful morning, and to play one last game at Footscray Hockey Club, where he is a life member. In September 2009, only two months after the accident, he was walking again. However, the goal to return to work within six months has proved to be a lot harder than actually walking.
After nine months, Harry was able to return to work on a part time basis, and started full time work in October 2011. On the 3rd anniversary of his accident, 8 July 2012, Harry Zachariou finally returned to the accident scene and with the help of family, friends, work colleagues and total strangers, he completed that fateful ride in to the city, which was interrupted by the accident. There were around 200 people there on that cold morning, to see Harry set off to achieve his goal. “80 people joined on the ride and after a 45 minute ride I had finally achieved what I set out to do three years earlier.
About 120 people were at the finish line, to see me complete my goal which helped cap off a huge achievement. “To cross the finish line felt like a huge burden was lifted from my shoulders,” Harry told to Neos Kosmos, “I felt like I was 20kg lighter.” There were plenty of tears, but mostly huge smiles as people mingled and congratulated him on this achievement.
“I was truly touched that so many people felt so strongly about my recovery that they were willing to sacrifice a Sunday morning, and come out and support me,” he describes.
The recovery from incomplete spinal injury is wholly dependent on the mental and physical state of the patient. In Harry Zachariou’s case, it was his physical fitness before the accident and a positive mental attitude that played the biggest part. “I believe that the fact that I am as stubborn as an old mule was more likely the case,” says Harry.
But, first of all, it was the help of his family that made it possible. “My family was my main motivator to push through and fight to defy the doctors and leave the wheelchair behind, because I felt I would be letting them down if I were to just accept the diagnosis, stay in a wheelchair my whole life and be a quadriplegic. It was not easy but with the help of the rehabilitation and nursing staff at Austin Hospital and Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre, I was able to push my body and start to learn to walk again,” says Australian born Harry Zachariou.
Supporter of people with spinal chord injury When Harry decided that he would make his first ride after the accident – a fundraiser for the spinal injury patients at Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre, his aim was to purchase four TV’s and four mini fridges (worth around $2,000), for the patients to use in their rooms, that normally have minimal furnishings.
His expectations were not only met, but were exceeded more than three fold. The final figure is yet to be determined as people and organisations are still contacting Harry and offering donations, but as we speak, the total stands at in excess of $7,000. “We have already delivered the TV’s and fridges to Royal Talbot as well as a much needed special air mattress, which is used to prevent and treat bed sores in paralysed patients,” he says. The balance will be donated in cash for the Royal Talbot to use to fund other required items which the Victorian Health system does not provide.
“I will also be making a $1,500 cash donation to an organisation called Project Walk Melbourne, which is in the process of setting up a new exercise based rehabilitation program for spinal cord injury patients.
This program is based on a US model which has had a lot of success in helping people with spinal injuries regain some, or all of their mobility,” explains Harry, who is planning to stay involved in helping people living with spinal cord injury, and promoting awareness of spinal cord injury and road safety. “I visit the staff and patients of the Spinal Unit at the Austin Hospital as often as I can.
I also visit the Royal Talbot to chat with the staff, but also to try and connect with the patients and try to encourage them to try hard in their rehab as they themselves are responsible for their future outcome. Not everyone is as lucky as I am and I certainly do not go there to say to people that they will all walk, but what I try to achieve is give them encouragement and reassure them that the dark clouds will lift as long as they work hard and set themselves goals which will stretch them to achieve a better outcome.
“I am also involved with an organisation called Independence Australia where we have a group meeting on a monthly basis of people living with paralysis but have some walking function. We call ourselves The Walkers Group and meet to discuss and compare notes to support each other.”
Roads have become a battlefield, so everyone should take their fair share of responsibility “I had been riding to work for nearly 10 years when my accident happened. In that time the riding conditions and traffic have increased at least by 50 per cent. There are now 1000’s more riders and traffic has increased as well. Everyone on the road has to take responsibility and be aware of their surroundings, not just drivers but riders as well.
“People over the past 10 years have become very selfish on the road and only care about what they are trying to achieve and that is why I was hit, someone in a hurry rushed through a stop sign! In trying to save seconds, he cost me and my family years of pain and anguish.
The most disappointing part of this whole experience is the fact that the driver who caused my injuries was only fined for not stopping at a stop sign. I don’t feel angry at the person, I feel angry at the system that allows people to make such stupid errors and then let them walk away free. My injury has probably cost the taxpayers of Victoria hundreds of thousands of dollars and yet no one has seemingly learnt anything from the experience,” warns Harry Zachariou.
Planning is now underway for Harry to reach and tick off the fourth goal that he has assigned to himself – to play a game of Hockey at the Footscray Hockey Club. “I am planning on getting back on the hockey field in late April or early May in 2013. I am trying to make the day a fun day for everyone, it will be a celebration of what I have been able to achieve with the help of my family, my wife Annette, daughter Jessica and son Michael, as well as my mother Chrystalla, sister Helen and brother Zack and their families.”
With the help of Transport Accident Commission, that will provide Harry with extra physiotherapy and also fund a gym and pool membership until June 2013, he is certain that he will achieve his goal. “I hope that this is the first of many games rather than my last game of hockey. I think this will be game number 479, so maybe the next goal will be to reach 500 games,” concludes Harry.
Every time Harry Zachariou visits the Spinal Ward at the Austin or Royal Talbot, the beds are all full with more patients there either through misfortune, ill health or accident. He believes his time can be best spent speaking with patients in Talbot and trying to get them to set goals like he did, and work at getting the best outcome from the bad situation they have unfortunately landed in.