From an unlikely and catastrophic brain injury, to living a full and beautiful life. Michelle Newland’s story is one that has been shared before, but never without leaving a feeling of awe and inspiration in its wake. 

At the age of 19, Michelle sustained a brain injury as a result of an asthma attack, and her road to recovery was anything but easy. Beginning her healing journey in the ICU and rehabilitation centre, Michelle re-learnt to walk. Retraining her body to sit upright, stand unsupported and balance before being able to take her first steps was Michelle’s first of many accomplishments. Unfortunately, after five months and being told she was costing the system too much, Michelle was moved into a nursing home where she regressed and most of her progress was lost. 

Two years post injury, Michelle was finally able to move back home after strong advocacy from her parents. Here, Michelle’s functional abilities were limited with challenges with her self-care, speech, swallowing and feeding. (It’s important to note that Independent Rehabilitation Services provided physiotherapy support to Michelle during her recovery journey.)

Overcoming these barriers became Michelle’s primary goal. Breaking down each target into smaller steps, she slowly worked at achieving what she had set out for. Her independence, and as Michelle sees it – the ability to do things for herself, was never out of mind and constantly drove the ‘why’ behind her participation in therapy. 

One of the hardest challenges for Michelle to overcome was her ability to eat on her own after being fed through a PEG (Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy – a feeding tube) for six years. But eating was seen as more than just the act of consuming food. For Michelle and her family, the biggest supporters of her recovery, eating is such an important part of their lives. It means socialising and sharing, and is a part of Michelle’s day that she enjoys so much. When speaking with Michelle, she recalled the time she ate her first piece of mango, describing it as “utterly beautiful”. Being able to now feed herself independently, Michelle brings so much gratitude to every meal.

In 2009, Michelle launched her public speaking business, “The Sky’s the Limit”. This is a particularly big accomplishment for Michelle after not having the ability to speak for many years. Working on eye contact, clear speech, and overcoming her fear of public speaking now allows Michelle to share her story with others. It was her desire to help people that drove this motivation, encouraging others not to give up: “I really want to give others hope to fight their own fight and allow them to believe that they can do anything”. 

Michelle has come a long way in her recovery and believes her faith has been a key to her progress, “My faith is like oxygen to the brain, I simply cannot live without it”. And it’s clear that this faith has supported Michelle during her long journey. She has regained a level of independence and fulfillment that allows her to live in her own home (with 24 hour care) right next door to her parents, cook three times a week, engage in public speaking, and maintain an active lifestyle through swimming, bowling and boxing. But that’s not all. Michelle has fostered a sense of purpose and meaning in her life, running a children’s playgroup once a month, making handcrafted products with her sister, with whom she’s very close, and giving back to the community. Michelle and her sister have even started a business that allows people of all abilities to engage in creative arts, with Michelle taking on a supportive teaching role.

As for Michelle’s future, she plans to maintain living as independently as possible, and in the best way possible. After being so goal oriented and achieving so much in her recovery journey, she states she feels happy with where she is now and hopes to preserve it. Leading a healthy, balanced and happy life is clearly important to Michelle. She lives life to the fullest, celebrating both the big and smaller wins, and spending lots of time with family and friends.

Everyone has a different journey, but Michelle wishes to share some advice with others in the hope that it can help with their journey: “Never give up, and give it your all.”

Michelle’s journey is a testament to her resilience and determination. The outcomes and progress described here are not necessarily indicative of what others can expect. It’s important to remember that each individual’s experience with recovery, extent and nature of injuries and access to rehabilitation is unique.

Please consult with your healthcare professionals for personalised advice and support tailored to your specific circumstances.