Overcoming Adversity: Scott Painter’s journey from patient to practitioner

When Scott Painter first opened his eyes more than three months after a brain injury and multiple strokes, he couldn’t talk or move

Had he really gone from driving a tractor on his family’s farm, to a coma on life support in ICU?

“I ended up spending more than a year in hospital, it was brutal,” he said.

“Some of the staff there were great, but I did have some health professionals say to me: ‘I’ve seen heaps of people like you – you’ll never eat again, or walk again’, and that’s not exactly something a 17-year-old wants to hear when they’re so early in life.

“I was paralysed on the left side, and I had to learn how to do everything again – it’s like having to go through childhood again. I had gone from being very physically fit to relying on everybody for help with everything. My support network is what pushed me through, my parents and friends, the physios, occupational therapists and speech therapists, who worked together to help me get the best outcome. As for the others who thought I would never get better – I had a fire in me to prove them wrong.”

Now in his thirties, not only did Scott make a full recovery, he works as the Practice Manager and Head Accredited Exercise Physiologist at Headway ABI Australia on the Gold Coast. He specialises in Neurological Physical Rehabilitation, helping others overcome the devastating effects of acquired brain injuries.

Scott’s injury and near-death experience happened when he was in Year 11. This was the result of a ruptured brain tumour (Arterious Venous Malformation) wrapped around his cerebella and brain stem followed by three strokes – forcing him to drop out of high school to focus on rehabilitation.

But it was his own rehab journey that sparked a deep curiosity in him to study Exercise Physiology, researching degree options at Southern Cross University.

Southern Cross University

“That first year after my injury I couldn’t really do anything physically, but my cognitive ability was still there, as I was learning to sit up, then use a wheelchair, then walk again. My mum, who was my biggest support, encouraged me to start studying, so when I was 20, I enrolled into Southern Cross University’s Preparing for Success Program – a bridging course so that I could get into my degree of choice. Mum would drive me from the family farm to every University class.

“Southern Cross was incredible in the support they provided. Their disability support is what helped get me through. The lecturers were so accommodating. This was back before lectures were recorded. I would get to class early and leave late because I still didn’t have a proper sense of balance, so I wanted to avoid having lots of students rushing around me. This is why brain injuries are called the invisible disability because I looked just like everyone else, but my balance was impaired. I couldn’t write and couldn’t speak very well as my voice box was paralysed, so I would record my lectures on a dictaphone, and when I was doing my recovery – my therapies and rehab at home – I would listen to the lectures, so I was studying and doing my recovery at the same time.”

Scott with father, Garry.

Scott received good grades and as his recovery continued, he went on to study his bachelor degree in exercise science and nutrition then a Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology at Southern Cross University’s Lismore campus (now offered as a combined four-year Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology), completing his placements at the University’s health clinic.

“The support I received from Southern Cross was incredible, second-to-none. I don’t think I could’ve gone anywhere else.

“One of my lecturers, Suzanne Broadbent was like the guru of neurological rehab, and she really took me under her wing. She helped me specialise in that area and assisted me in the health clinic in seeing clients who had experienced brain injuries.

“I graduated and moved down to Port Macquarie and worked down there for a year as an Accredited Exercise Physiologist, before I began my role at Headway on the Gold Coast, where I’ve been providing neurological rehabilitation to brain injury survivors for almost a decade now.”

Scott working with client, Jennifer

Scott says the clients he works with are the most resilient he knows – people who have had strokes, traumatic brain injuries, acquired brain injuries, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, or any type of neurological injury.

He also mentors Clinical Exercise Physiology students currently studying through Southern Cross University.

“After someone suffers a brain injury, my job is to help provide the most effective, compassionate, and tailored approach to help individuals rebuild their strength, independence, and confidence.

“There are so many things people take for granted in life, or even complain about, like having to wake up and get out of bed to go to work, or that our car has no fuel, but so many of my clients are the flip side of that. They’d love to have a job and get out of bed themselves and drive a car and be able to fill it with petrol themselves – yet where many people see the negatives, my clients so often see the positives and see so many things as an opportunity despite the hardships they’ve endured.

“My past medical history means I have that dual perspective of being a patient and now being a practitioner, so having that knowledge of what it is they might be going through, it does makes me quite a rare practitioner. Demonstrating genuine care is essential as patients are more receptive to your knowledge when they feel personally supported.”

Scott recently released a book outlining not the physical and emotional side of rehabilitation titled, Tragedy To Triumph: How I got back to 100% functionality after having three strokes.

“It’s often the emotional side of things that is not recognised in rehab, so my book really delves into that. This book isn’t just for those who’ve gone through a brain injury and their friends and family, but it’s also for health professionals to really help them understand the emotions involved. My book has gained a lot of positive attention not only in Australia but overseas, and I’m happy I can help so many people away from my daily face-to-face clinical rehab sessions.

“After a brain injury or any neurological injury, a lot of hospital staff will say that you make all your gains in the first six months – but that’s not actually true. While you do make a lot of your gains in the first six months, you can get better years and years onwards. Neuroplasticity is the brain’s way of relearning how to do certain things again and creating those new pathways which can happen for years afterwards. You do have to push yourself every single day to keep moving towards where you want to be, even though there’s so many failures on the way, you do have to keep trying new things.

Scott with parents on family farm

“I’ve had really positive feedback from health professionals who’ve read the book who have shifted their perspective, and also from people who’ve gone through brain injuries who may have been told in the hospital that they won’t get better after six months. It’s really important to challenge that thinking, because improvement is possible and a lot of people just don’t know how powerful they really are.

“Your brain can adapt after you leave hospital. I’m living proof of that. I was still getting better for 11 to 12 years after my injury.

“Often these people who have suffered a brain injury are scared, afraid, and sometimes alone. For so many people the most pressing issue is their balance, so one of the major things we do is getting them to walk and move properly again.

“In our neurological clinic on the Gold Coast we have two very important pieces of rehabilitation equipment called ICARE machines from Canada, that are body weight supported using a harness. It helps people get upright again after they’ve been in bed or a chair for a long time, into a standing vertical position where their breathing’s better and their neurological system works a lot better, without the risk of falling while exercising.

“I not only help people start moving again, but I encourage them to pursue their passion – whether that’s going to university, getting a job, doing what they love and having a good life.

“It took a long time, and a lot of grit and perseverance, and a team of professional health staff working together to help me get the best outcome, but I am so thankful I can do anything now. I go camping, go to the beach, go fishing and play golf – the only thing I don’t do now is play contact sports, but that’s just a precaution on my part. I live a very full life.

“Just because you’ve had this major life changing episode, doesn’t mean that your life is over.”