The next meeting of a dedicated support group for amputees across the North East is being held this Friday. NE Amputee has been set up to provide specialist support and advice to those who have lost limbs and their families. It has been inspired by Dr Alison Broadbent, a former astrophysicist who had her right leg amputated above the knee after she was knocked down by a van in Acacia Road, Bishop Auckland.
During her recovery Alison, aged 58, found there was a lack of peer support for amputees in the North East. Alongside expert serious injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell, who secured her an undisclosed settlement to fund the specialist lifetime therapy and support she requires because of her injuries, Alison has set up the group. As well as Alison and Irwin Mitchell, others to support NE Amputee include case manager Abbie Udall, Rachel Lees and Gemma Stoddart, a physiotherapist and occupational therapist respectively at Neural Pathways and expert prosthetist Colette Shaw at Steps Prosthetics.
The group allows amputees to access specialist support tailored to their specific needs. Laura Mcilduff, an expert serious injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell who represented Alison and helped set up the support group, said: “Through our work we often see the impact losing a limb can have on clients but also how with access to specialist support and rehabilitation they can regain more of their independence. “By bringing together professionals across a range of disciplines we can offer spec.
