The story of Amy – Learning to live more freely

When she went down during a match, she immediately knew something was wrong. Lying on the ground, unable to move, she looked up at her dad — already on the phone to the paramedics — and saw the worry in his face. Even though he told her she’d be okay, she knew life was about to change. She just didn’t yet know how much.

The weeks that followed were filled with hospital rooms, unfamiliar routines and big questions she didn’t yet have answers to. At first, her bladder and bowel slowed dramatically. Years later, after an infection in her spinal cord, they stopped completely. Suddenly she was navigating catheterisation, bowel products and a world of limited advice, often surrounded by people whose experiences looked nothing like hers.

For a while, it felt like everything was being done to her rather than with her. But that sense of waiting for life to happen around her didn’t last.

A turning point came from the people who stood firmly beside her — including a partner who said, with complete certainty, “I’m not going anywhere. We’re doing this.” As Amy opened up to teammates and friends, she found honest conversations, shared lived experience and the reassurance that she still had choices.

And she made them boldly.

She chose to carry a baby, even when others questioned whether it was a good idea. She chose to get married, buy a home and return to full‑time work. She chose to pursue a life that looked different from the one she imagined at 27 — but no less full.

Sport found its way back to her too. Through wheelchair rugby league and para ice hockey, Amy rediscovered the community she had missed. The humour, the camaraderie and the shared understanding brought back everything she loved about rugby. In those spaces, nothing needed explaining, whether that was a tough training day or admitting you’d just had an accident in the changing room. There was no judgement, only support.

Looking back now, Amy knows that the moment she thought her life had ended was really the start of a different chapter, one filled with new people, new experiences and a deeper understanding of her own strength. Her path changed, but it opened doors she never expected.

Her story isn’t about what was lost, but about what was rebuilt. It’s about confidence, community and discovering that a meaningful, joyful future can look many different ways, even ones you didn’t see coming.