Raising funds for cochlear implants

Double amputee John Nelson (front) is cycling around New Zealand, raising money and awareness for...
Double amputee John Nelson (front) is cycling around New Zealand, raising money and awareness for cochlear implants, accompanied by John Flower. Photo by Sally Rae.
Cycling 9500km through Australia or pedalling around New Zealand would be a huge undertaking for most people - let alone a double leg amputee.

But for retired plumber John Nelson (67), of Bairnsdale, Victoria, one of the things that got him through the difficult time after his legs were amputated was the motivation to get back on his bike.

Five days before Mr Nelson was due to cycle from Darwin to Bairnsdale, he was rushed to hospital with meningococcal septicaemia and spent five months in hospital.

Eighteen months later, in 2004, he made that cycle trip, raising $50,000 for the Bionic Ear Institute.

Two years later, he rode from Mt Isa to Bairnsdale, raising a further $35,000.

Now the long-time Rotarian is in New Zealand, cycling around the country with another remarkable companion - John Flower (73) - raising money for the Bionic Ear Institute and the Pindrop Foundation (NZ).

"My motto is always: don't let people tell you what you can't do, but tell yourself what you can do," he said during a break.

Mr Nelson was inspired to raise money and awareness for cochlear implants after meeting a young boy who had an implant.

As the father of two hearing-impaired children, now adults, he was very impressed by the way the boy could speak.

On his first big cycle trip in Australia, Mr Nelson lost 10kg - "so I guess it takes a bit out of you" - and when he arrived in Katherine, he had no skin on the end of his stumps.

Fortunately, he was hosted through Rotary by a couple who owned a pharmacy and he spent two rest days treating the stumps.

As well as making presentations to Rotary clubs, Mr Nelson stopped at schools and young children had "amazing" questions which they were not frightened to ask.

He would take his prosthetic legs off and pass them around, much to their delight.

Mr Flower met Mr Nelson while he was doing a solo cycle ride around Australia last year - a dream he had since he was about 20.

"It wasn't that big a deal, not compared to this guy without his legs.

"He's got a lot of guts," Mr Flower said.

The pair, who left Christchurch on February 16, will leave Oamaru for Dunedin on Thursday.

They hope to finish the journey on May 18.

 

 

 

 

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