Sporting Chance Foundation is an organisation that recognises sport plays a pivotal role in many talented Indigenous athletes’ lives, and St Vincent’s Private Hospital East Melbourne recently partnered with the foundation to help 15-year-old Zayryn.
Zayryn is from Cooktown in Far North Queensland and attends the NRL Cowboys Training House in Townsville. Unfortunately, he’s been suffering recurrent shoulder dislocations that are preventing him from playing and, not surprisingly, he’s been very keen to get back onto the footy field.
Sporting Chance Foundation and St Vincent’s Private Hospital East Melbourne stepped in and Zayryn and his mum recently travelled to Melbourne for shoulder surgery. Zayryn is the tenth indigenous athlete to receive surgical assistance via the foundation – and it was the first time that surgery on a “rising star” was carried out in Melbourne.
Chairman of the Sporting Chance Foundation and orthopaedic surgeon Dr Daevyd Rodda said: “Our whole focus is to minimise the stumbling block that a musculoskeletal in jury presents to a young Indigenous athlete, provide them with the right treatment and keep them on the path to success.”
Daevyd and his colleague, orthopaedic surgeon Dr Shane Blackmore, donated their time to carry out the surgery while the hospital provided the surgical space and hospital care for Zayryn. Daevyd and the foundation believe that by providing this type of assistance, these aspiring athletes and sports stars can continue to lead healthy, happy lives and, importantly, go on to be role models in their communities.
“This initiative is a wonderful example of the very best of our mission at the bedside, sharing our expertise with compassion, to ensure Zayryn has successful surgery and is back doing what he loves before too long,” he said.
Best wishes Zayryn, and thank you to the surgeons, anaesthetists, physiotherapists and all of the hospital family for this wonderful “first” at St Vincent’s Private Hospital East Melbourne.
