More than 250 Queensland children and young people with a ‘limb difference’ have been supported by the Queensland Children’s Hospital since it opened its doors in 2014.
The Limb Difference Clinic, part of the Queensland Paediatric Rehabilitation Service, aims to help children who were born with, or have acquired a limb difference during their life, to reach their full potential.
Children like 19-year-old Lewis Bishop, who accessed the service after a boating accident in 2015 when he was 9 years old.
“I was reversed over with a boat, which basically cut up my leg. I was then flown to Brisbane from Papua New Guinea to have my leg amputated,” he said.
Soon after surgery, he met Limb Difference physiotherapist Shail Maharaj, who not only supported Lewis on his rehabilitation journey, but introduced him to Paralympic swimmer Brenden Hall.
“Being able to hold his gold medal was incredible. I remember saying to my parents ‘I’m going to get one of these’,” Lewis said.
Three-time Paralympic gold-medallist Brenden Hall had also been treated by the Limb Difference team, after losing his right leg, when he was six-years old, following complications from severe chicken pox.
Brenden said his bond with Lewis was instant.
“He had that go-getting, no stop attitude,” Brenden said.
Brenden and Lewis will compete at the upcoming Australian Olympic and Paralympic trials in Brisbane, to secure their tickets to Paris.
While they’ll both compete in several events, they’ll go head to head in the 100 metres butterfly, to qualify for what will be Brenden’s fifth and final Paralympic Games.
“It makes it so much more fun and more exciting, and I’ve got to make sure the young one doesn’t beat me,” Brendan said.
The ultimate dream for Lewis would be to compete at a home Paralympic Games in Brisbane 2032.
“I daydream about it all the time, just looking up at the scoreboard and seeing that I hit the time, and looking up to my family, who have supported me so much,” he said.
Shail Maharaj, who also volunteers as an official Paralympic classifier, said it was fantastic to see Lewis and other patients out in life doing great things.
“Not everyone needs to be a Paralympian, but it’s been one of Lewis’ goals and he’s pursued it relentlessly,” he said.
The Limb Difference Clinic is operated by a specialist multidisciplinary team including rehabilitation specialists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, prosthetists, nurses, social workers and neuropsychologists.
The service also operates outreach clinics to major regional centres to provide care closer to home for Queensland children and young people.
In 2024, the Queensland Children’s Hospital is celebrating its first 10 years of caring for sick and injured Queensland kids.
During this time, the hospital has provided almost 3 million episodes of care to more than 418,000 children and young people from across Queensland and northern News South Wales.