Rally driver returns home to Australia
Stuart Scoular, 42, the Sydney-based Kiwi injured in an accident in the
Targa Rotorua rally on Sunday 10 June, has been discharged from Waikato
Hospital and is on his way home to Australia.
Mr Scoular suffered serious leg and hip injuries when his car left the
road and hit the exposed edge of a concrete abutment on the eighth stage
of the annual two-day event west of Lichfield. He was air-lifted to
Waikato Hospital where his right leg was amputated below the knee.
Before his departure, Mr Scoular and his wife Debborah issued the following statement.
“It has now been eight weeks since our motor racing incident in Targa
Rotorua. I must say that on reflection, the incident was unlucky to
have happened, but equally, Bret Scoular my co-driver (and brother) and I
are both lucky to be alive. Much of the action taken at the scene of
the incident was initially undertaken by fellow crews of Targa and
emergency crews who responded quickly and with upmost professionalism. |
Stuart and Debborah Scoular
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Kieran
Read, Stuart and Wyatt Crockett
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Fortunately Bret suffered few injuries from the incident. However I have
had and will continue to have a long journey of recovery.
Key injuries
include fractures of the pelvis, ribs, collar bone, right leg femoral,
left leg tibia, and fractures of the lower back (L1and L5).
Other injuries were a splenic laceration and a right leg below knee
amputation. At this point I have recovered extremely well from a series
of operations.
I have received phenomenal support from many people and organisations.
One of the highlights was on Saturday 23 June when All Blacks Kieran
Read and Wyatt Crockett visited the hospital and stopped by to say hello
and good luck to me.
Special thanks needs to go to PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) Australia and
New Zealand who have provided the highest level of support.
Equally,
the staff and surgeons of Waikato Hospital have been superb providing
excellence in medical care.
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My family, friends and work colleagues have
provided ongoing support and encouragement. All of this is much
appreciated.
The next part of my journey will be returning to Australia for further medical care and rehabilitation. The prognosis remains good with a high chance of walking in the next couple of months. I am looking forward to going home with my family and returning to work in the coming months.”
ENDS
Date: 6 August 2012
Contact:
Mary Anne Gill
Communications Director
Waikato District Health Board
021 705 213
Injured driver stable after surgery
The driver seriously injured in an accident in the Targa Rotorua tarmac motor rally on Sunday is today recovering in Waikato Hospital after overnight surgery to amputate his lower right leg.
Sydney-based Kiwi Stuart Scoular, 41, suffered serious leg and hip injuries when his car left the road and hit the exposed edge of a concrete abutment on the eighth stage of the annual two-day event west of Lichfield on Sunday morning. He was air-lifted to Waikato Hospital and operated on overnight by orthopedic surgeon Chris O'Meeghan.
Mr O'Meeghan today confirmed that Stuart Scoular's right leg was amputated below the knee.
He then underwent four hours of surgery in theatre. This morning he was conscious and talking to family and likely to be transferred to a ward later today.
"He's come through remarkably well," said Mr O'Meeghan.
Mr Scoular now faces further surgery on his left leg and hip and right thigh.
Co-driver Bret Scoular, 34, Stuart's younger brother, was also taken to hospital but was released this morning having suffered only minor injuries in the accident.
Spokesman for the Scoular family, Richard Scoular, said this morning that he and the family would like to say thank you to everyone who rendered assistance at the scene as well as the surgeon and staff at Waikato Hospital.
"This was a rally accident with a freak result. Sadly it was a life changing event for Stuart and his family but he fought like a trooper all night and is in good spirits this morning. "
Scoular said that the family would also like to acknowledge the first response work done by fellow competitors like Tony Quinn and Naomi Tillett and Drs David Rogers, John Torrance and Zaf Khouri who stopped to render assistance
Quinn and Tillett were the first competitors to stop and Tillett played a key role in stabilising the badly injured driver until Targa New Zealand's St John's emergency response team - which follows the event - arrived.
By doing so, he said, 'she saved Stuart's life.'
Mr Scoular also paid tribute to the strict safety standards set by the organisers of the event.
"Particularly the compulsory requirement for a head and neck (HANS) safety device."
Waikato Hospital will provide updates on Stuart Scoular's condition at http://www.waikatodhb.health.nz/patientupdates
ENDS
Date: 11 June 2012
Contact:
Ross MacKay
Fast Company
09 416 5307
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