04/07/2025
Well done Colin!
At 88 years of age, Colin is one of the oldest patients at Cairns Hospital to undergo a leg amputation.
The Rocky Point retiree required below-knee amputation surgery due to carcinoma, but he has refused to let his leg loss rule the rest of his life.
“I don’t give up easily,” Colin said.
After more than 100 days in the hospital - including many weeks of rehabilitation - Colin is now rocking a new prosthetic leg that he has jokingly nicknamed “Crocodile”.
“I had a kid come up to me and ask what happened to me leg,” he said.
“I told him a croc had gotten it. He thought that was great!”
Thanks to support from the Cairns Hospital rehabilitation team, Colin has now mastered the use of his prosthetic limb, including standing unassisted, and getting in and out of his car.
He advised others facing amputation to stay calm, listen to the experts, and keep pushing forward.
“You may think it’s the end of the world, but if you take notes of what the people in the hospital are telling you, you’ll be back on your feet in no time,” he said.
“The nurses and rehab team at the hospital are unbelievable!”
Col thanked his family and friends, particularly his partner Kelly, for their support and Dr Sherab and his vascular surgery team for their clinical expertise.
📸 Colin (middle), with members of the Cairns Hospital rehabilitation team
