Michelina Pelosi looks back 32 years to when a tragic car accident changed her life forever.

At a time in her life which should have been filled with excitement and celebration, the start of her journey into the big world after high school, Michelina found herself bed bound after being in a car accident, with a diagnosis that anyone let alone an 18-year-old, would find hard to comprehend.

There wasn’t any formal Peer Support back when Michelina had her accident, however the hospital organised for a lady called Luisa, who had lived experience of physical disability, to come in and share her story with the women. For Michelina, meeting Luisa brought her hope.

Michelina reflected “Looking back now, Luisa gave me some of the most valuable advice I could ever get with a spinal cord injury, that I still use to this day.”

Seventeen years after that first meeting, Michelina ran into Luisa who was now working to develop the Peer and Family Support program for Spinal Cord Injuries Australia. Michelina immediately accepted Luisa’s offer to help develop the program, elated by the opportunity to help so many, just as Luisa had helped her.

Experiencing and seeing the benefits that the Peer and Family Support program has delivered over the years to so many, Michelina is disappointed that despite the amazing work and many achievements of the SCIA Peer and Family Support team, the reach remains only a fraction of what is needed.

“It’s the practical tips that you get from peer support that you just can’t get from a health professional, or somebody who’s reading it out of a textbook. It’s that lived experience that’s just phenomenal in giving you something real to implement for yourself and give you practical application so that you can overcome all of your obstacles.”

“When people leave the spinal unit to return home, the support largely stops. SCIA provides community Peer Support where they can, however this support is limited, and they receive no funding for this critical work.”

Michelina’s personal experience as a client 32 years ago, as a Peer and Family Support team member and now as a board member for SCIA, has demonstrated how critical Peer and Family Support is to anyone experiencing a spinal cord injury.

This May, Michelina will be celebrating her birthday and has chosen to share her story to raise awareness and much needed funds for the Peer and Family Support service. She aims to support SCIA’s goal to raise $50k to enable the organisation to employ a Peer Support Coordinator to deliver Community Peer Support 3 days a week, helping more people with spinal cord injury to live their best life.

Help Michelina to spread the word and reach SCIA’s $50k goal this May.

Make a life changing donation today!