While her classmates celebrate their year six graduation, Milly Yeoman, 12, is stuck in a Melbourne-based hospital recovering from a serious injury.
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The Ballarat North Primary student was injured in an accident while participating in a school swimming program on November 1.
She was airlifted to the Royal Children’s Hospital with a broken neck and severe trauma to her spinal cord, where she is expected to remain until at least March next year.
Mother Rebecca has given up her job to be by Milly’s bedside, while father Peter is constantly travelling back and forth between Ballarat and Melbourne.
“She is just a happy-go-lucky sort of kid… she is going really well, I’m amazed how she keeps herself smiling,” Mr Yeoman said.
“We’ve had a lot of help from family and friends. Even from the school – her classmates have sent her little videos and that to keep her smiling.”
While the family has a room at Ronald McDonald House, Mr Yeoman said he had to return to Ballarat for work, while Milly’s brother Tom, 13, had school.
“It’s hard for Rebecca,” Mr Yeoman said. “She stayed there (at the hospital) for pretty much the first month and came home just twice.”
He said the incident had completely changed their whole world in a single day.
“There is a lot of stuff that we have to learn, that none of us have a clue about. Milly has to be winched up into a wheelchair, it’s 24-hour care. There are going to be a lot of changes, even to the house.”
To help ease financial pressure on the family, Milly’s aunt Belinda Arnel has set up a GoFundMe page called Milly Yeoman’s Recovery Fund.
The fund aims to raise $20,000 for the family as Milly recovers from the operation and begins her rehabilitation.
Mr Yeoman said the money would mean the family could afford to stay together and concentrate on Milly.
“You get upset, you get sad, you get angry, so the more we can be together, it’s better for Mill. It will just help us out,” he said.
As for the response so far, Mr Yeoman is lost for words.
“I don’t know what to say... I feel a bit embarrassed, but it’s awesome.”
Meanwhile, WorkSafe has confirmed it had made inquiries into the incident and is taking no further action.
To donate to the recovery fund visit www.gofundme.com/millyeoman.
