Medical staff caring for Dubbo’s Ryan Medley are happy with his progress to date, and he remains determined to achieve the best possible outcome, CYMS chairman Kevin Walkom reports.
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The well-known sportsman was rushed to Royal North Shore Hospital (RNSH) in Sydney after suffering a serious spinal injury in a reserve grade rugby league match last month.
Mr Walkom provided the update on Mr Medley’s condition as he offered thanks to the community for its response to an appeal that recently hit the $210,000 mark.
Mr Medley, 28, is currently using an electric wheelchair, which provides him with mobility to scoot around the corridors to his appointments and to greet visitors, Mr Walkom says.
It is expected the Dubbo patient will be discharged in the coming weeks pending the availability of accommodation at the Ryde Rehabilitation Centre, he said.
In recent days Mr Medley and wife Casey received a visit from a former spinal injury patient at RNSH and his wife.
“This person who was in a similar position as Ryan some 12 months ago and is today walking (with some restrictions),” Mr Walkom said.
“The visit has provided Ryan with additional motivation along with a very determined mindset to achieve the best possible outcomes, considering his current condition.
“Casey and Ryan, along with their families, are settling into the Sydney environment as best as they can.
“You can take the boy out of the country but you can’t take the country out of the boy.”
With a long haul ahead of the family yet, the Dubbo community is continuing to help to ease the burden.
Mr Walkom reported the Ryan Medley Appeal had reached the $210,000 mark after two recent efforts.
Last week’s successful sheep challenge, the initiative of Dubbo grazier Alan West, raised $10,000 and the CYMS indigenous round jersey auction on Saturday contributed $7000.
Funds from the appeal were being provided to Ryan, Casey and their families to assist with the costs of accommodation, travel, living expenses and associated costs with living away from home, Mr Walkom said.
“Dubbo CYMS league, cricket and the Old Boys would like to once again thank the communities of Dubbo and surrounding towns along with the wider communities of New South Wales for their generosity to date in achieving our current appeal total,” he said.
“As Ryan’s progress advances there will be additional opportunities for those that wish to support the appeal with additional events planned to be held in the coming weeks and months.”