This year’s theme for Men’s Health week was ‘healthy body – healthy mind: keeping the balance’ and the manager of Walcha Home, and Community Care Services organised a morning tea and barbecue at the local Men’s Shed to explore the issue.
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Mrs Cathy Noon arranged for the fourth generation grazier of the O’Keefe family in Yarrowitch to speak at the event about his battle with depression.
Mr Peter O’Keefe and his wife have three sons and have also owned and operated an earthmoving business in the New England area for the past twenty-three years.
In 2008 a horrific farm accident left Peter with full thickness burns to 46% of his body.
“I was airlifted by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter to Port Macquarie Hospital and then to Royal North Shore where I spent 69 days in an induced coma,” said Mr O’Keefe.
“I then spent eight months in the severe burns unit and five months in Ryde Rehabilitation Centre.”
Mr O’Keefe told the gathering of men that, after the accident and surviving life-threatening injuries and countless surgeries, one of the biggest hurdles he faced was maintaining a positive state of mind during his recovery.
“This was a day to day struggle that was only overcome through continual family and community support,” he said.
“I believe that a positive state of mind is essential in any form of recovery. Had you have asked me nine years ago I would have said that depression wasn’t real but having experienced it first hand I would now say it is a very serious condition that has the capacity to control your life.”
During his recovery, Mr O’Keefe had many visitors and cards but witnessed other people without a strong support network including a 24-year-old man in his rehab ward who had only two visitors in three months.
“We are extremely lucky to live in such a close and caring community,” he said.
“This community support is incredibly important and is not something to be frightened to draw from if you feel any need to. It helped me get through each day, and I feel this is what helps gets you through the tough times.”