A teenager who suffered serious injuries in a car accident is bravely sharing her story, in the hope it helps reduce road trauma.
On 10 June 2022, Lucy Moodie was just 15 years old, when she was injured on Cranbourne Road in Frankston. Lucy and her cousin were crossing the road, reaching a median strip, with her cousin dashing across the remaining road to catch an approaching bus.
Lucy hesitated and while she focused on the approaching bus, she ran into the side of a tradesman's ute. Her leg was caught in the wheel arch, causing serious compound fractures to the bones in her lower leg.
Lucy was flung to the road, knocking out four teeth and fracturing her collarbone and arm.
Since this accident, Lucy has undergone 11 operations, including bone grafts and skin grafts. Three of the procedures were at Epworth Richmond, performed by paediatric orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Lucas Annabell. More plastic surgery will be required in the future.
Her mother, Carly Dare, said much of the last year has been a blur.
"It's been awful. I don't remember a lot of the first six months after Lucy's accident," Carly said
"I left for work one day and didn't come home for five weeks, while Lucy's father and I had an around the clock roster beside her hospital bed to ensure we were there for her."
"Thankfully, my sister lives near us and she was able to help with my teenaged boys. One of them was doing Year 12 at the time."
When Lucy was able to go home, she was initially bedbound and had to use a bed pan. Lucy then spent six months in a wheelchair and was only resumed walking earlier this year.
Lifting the wheelchair, in and out of their family car, led to a back injury for Carly, which also required surgery.
Before the accident, Lucy was a keen footballer and netballer but her injuries hit pause on the two games and three training sessions that Lucy was doing each week. Lucy has now returned to restricted football training, almost a year after the accident.
"It is frustrating as I can't run properly anymore and I can't do all the drills," Lucy said.
"I hope I will be able to get back to what I was could do previously. I know it will take time."
Carly said for now, her daughter's social events and sport have been replaced by medical appointments.
"We have lots of appointments every week; two to three visits to the physio, doctors appointments and appointments with Lucy's surgeon."
Lucy said the long road to recovery has significantly affected her schooling.
"I missed a lot of school so I fell behind in everything,"
Despite her struggles with school, the Year 10 student is focussed on finishing and she wants to become a paramedic.
"I want to be a paramedic to help people in the same way that I was helped."
Lucy urges everyone on the road to think about what they do and avoid the type of injuries she is still recovering from.
"It can happen when you least expect it," Lucy said.
