Goldie

Eight months after her traumatic motorcycle accident,
Goldie gets back to her passion to ride.
But, as she continues her intensive rehabilitation,
she wants to encourage others to drive safely.

Motor vehicle accident survivor shares story to encourage safe driving

In 2009, over 16,000 people in Toronto were injured in a motor vehicle collision.

A motor vehicle accident can happen anywhere: in rural areas, urban areas, on your home street, or while you're visiting relatives across the city. The injuries can vary from minor, to severe, to fatal.

Luckily, more and more people are surviving these traumatic accidents, but that means more people need specialized rehabilitation so they can do their daily tasks or pursue their passions. For Goldie, her passion is to ride.

Goldie, 36, is an independent woman whose life was put on hold when a driver went through a stop sign and slammed into her motorcycle. Although the weather was clear and she took all necessary safety precautions, that split second forced her to spend several months in intensive rehabilitation at St. John's Rehab.

"When a task as simple as holding out my hand to accept change from a grocery store cashier was impossible," says Goldie, "I knew it would take a lot of work for me to grab on to my bike's handles again."

Among many of her injuries were two broken wrists, a fractured shoulder and a fractured fibula. Since her accident, Goldie has worked tirelessly with rehab professionals in the hospital's outpatient Back on Track program to regain her strength, balance and range of motion. Eight months after her accident, with lots of hard work and determination, Goldie was able to ride her new motorcycle.

But, with more surgeries in her future, her recovery is far from over.

Goldie is just one of many survivors of motor vehicle collisions St. John's Rehab sees each year. With the excitement and increased tourist traffic of the warmer months, compounding other distractions while on the road, it's very easy to lose control of your vehicle.

On Wednesday, July 28, 2010, The Canadian Press published a story on Goldie. The story highlights the severe trauma Goldie endured and the importance of safe driving on Canadian roads.

We'd like to congratulate Goldie on her remarkable recovery and for her motivation to encourage others to drive safely.

You can view the story online at www.ctv.ca.