Amber becomes ambassador for trauma charity

Amber becomes ambassador for trauma charity

15 September 2021

DOWNPATRICK woman Amber Smyth has became an ambassador for a trauma charity after she survived a near-fatal road traffic accident last winter.

In gratitude of the life-changing treatment she received, the bubbly university student is lending a hand to the Trauma and Orthopaedics Research Charity (TORC) so that she can play her part in benefitting others who go through a similar ordeal.

After being airlifted from the crash scene by the Air Ambulance, the 21 year-old spent almost a week in ICU before being moved to a major trauma ward at the Royal Victoria Hospital. 

Thankfully, Amber made a full recovery from her horrific injuries she sustained in the incident.

“It was a terrible time for my family,” she revealed.

“Due to Covid-19 regulations, I was only permitted one visit at the hospital per week from the same person, so I literally had to choose between my parents,” she said. 

“Thankfully the trauma team at the hospital pushed really hard to get me home before Christmas and although I was still in need of around the clock care, they provided me with a hospital bed to aid my recovery in the comfort of my own home.”

Amber now has a renewed appreciation for life after overcoming the obstacles she faced during her recovery.

She continued: “I realise now how precious things I took for granted before the accident, including walking unaided, getting a shower, time with friends and family or even studying and attending university.

“The surgical teams and healthcare professionals in the hospital and post discharge, along with the care of my family, really assisted in providing a better outcome than was first expected for me.”

Since the start of the year, Amber has been undertaking intensive physiotherapy and hydrotherapy to assist with her rehabilitation in being able to live life to the full again. 

These sessions act as the main driving force behind her decision to get involved with TORC, as they have been vital in making a full recovery.

“Words cannot describe how grateful I am to everyone who has been involved in my care and recovery and that’s why it’s an honour for me to become an ambassador for TORC,” said Amber. 

“I want to give back to the charity in any way that I can to benefit others who find themselves in a similar situation to me, as I understand that without vital research my recovery could have been very different.”

Amber has also offered advice to others who are currently undergoing rehabilitation, based on her own personal experience.

“I would say to other patients that they should be patient. I learnt very quickly to take everyday slowly and that my pain needed to be well managed,” she explained.

“I kept a patient diary and found it useful for keeping track of pain levels or new symptoms so I didn’t get overwhelmed and it helped me to look back and realise how far I’d come by comparing previous weeks and months.”

She added: “It also helped inform the trauma team on my condition.”

Discussing Amber’s new role as an ambassador for TORC, consultant orthopaedic surgeon Owen Diamond, said that as a charity trustee, he is excited and grateful to welcome Amber as an ambassador for the charity.

“We  work to continue to improve the lives of all patients with musculoskeletal injury or disease in Northern Ireland,” he explained.

“Amber is a great example of someone who had the determination and a great, positive attitude to appreciate that although they may have made her work hard at times, the trauma team were dedicated to helping restore her active life.”

For further information on TORC, visit their website on www.torcni.org or visit the TORC Facebook page at www.facebook.com/torcni and on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/torcni.