Ausbuild’s gift to Redcliffe Hospital supporters

One hundred Raise it for Redcliffe Hospital supporters cheered on the Dolphins in Sunday’s season opener against the Cowboys including a former intensive care and rehabilitation patient.

Despite the home side’s 43-18 loss, it was a special day for Mark Adams who has made a miraculous recovery from the terrifying condition called “locked-in-syndrome” two years ago.

“It felt like I was burning in hell with excruciating pain,” Mark recalls.

He suffered from a rare disorder which caused disruption of the motor fibres running from the brain to the spinal cord, which in turn affected his muscles as well as parts of his brain used for breathing, swallowing, and talking.

“My consciousness was still present, but I couldn’t talk, which meant I was still totally aware of what was happening around me, but I was unable to move or speak. It was terrifying,” he says.

With the help of Redcliffe Hospital staff, Mark slowly relearned the basics, and eventually was able to talk again and regain control of parts of his body.

“I’m still bound to a wheelchair, but I’m able to eat and drink, and even play chess, so I count myself blessed and call it my rebirth,” Mark says.

Thanks to Ausbuild and the Dolphins, Mark was at the Dolphins’ first Captain’s Run for the season the day before the game, explains Ausbuild Joint Managing Director Matthew Bell.

“As community partner of the Dolphins, we are privileged to be able to connect with the local community and raise awareness for organisations such as Redcliffe Hospital via RBWH Foundation’s ‘Raise for Redcliffe Hospital’, who are playing a vital role in supporting life-changing patient care and health research,” Matthew says.

“The staff at the Redcliffe Hospital change lives, and Mark is just one example of their incredible contribution to our community.

“To say thanks, Ausbuild provided the ‘Raise it for Redcliffe Hospital’ network with 100 complimentary tickets to the highly anticipated Season Opener at Suncorp Stadium. They offered a lucky draw for most of their tickets to say thanks to hospital staff and the community that has helped them over the years.”

RBWH Foundation CEO Simone Garske says that it is a privilege to partner with Redcliffe Hospital for the benefit of the sports-loving Redcliffe Peninsula and Moreton Bay community.

“The ongoing support of Dolphins NRL and Ausbuild for the Raise it for Redcliffe Hospital partnership is such a wonderful morale booster for hospital patients and staff,” Ms Garske says.

“It draws valuable attention to life-changing health research and patient care initiatives at Redcliffe Hospital that are made possible thanks to the extraordinary power of giving by donors.”

Raise it for Redcliffe is a partnership between Redcliffe Hospital and RBWH Foundation. All donations to Raise it for Redcliffe support Redcliffe Hospital.