New dawn for Aimee after brain surgery

[Source: Daily Mercury] - AS the sun rises over Phoenix in Arizona, Aimee Anderson awakes to a new day she never thought she would see.

The young mum is on the slow road to recovery after a gruelling eight-hour operation to remove a brain stem cavernoma on Tuesday, September 9.

Thanks to the generosity of the Moranbah mining community she was able to go to America and undergo lifesaving surgery at a cost of $250,000.

Rachel Gobourn said her sister-in-law left hospital at the weekend.

"She's spending this week doing some physio work in the pool because her left arm is still a bit sluggish.

"She's having hospital check ups throughout the week, but otherwise, her recovery to date has been excellent."

Mr Anderson and his wife's neurosurgeon Robert Spetzler were pleased with the way the operation went.

"It looks like Dr Spetzler got all of the cavernoma," he said.

"Although, when he went in to operate it showed she had not one cavernoma, but four more growing in the same area. "The operation was also watched on the viewing platform by six European surgeons."

The $250,000 procedure at the renowned Barrow Neurological Institute was made possible by workers from Goonyella Riverside and Peak Downs mines.

Employees at each site donated safety bonuses, from 50 days free from Classified Injuries, towards Ms Anderson's life-saving surgery.

Around $50,000 from each site was collected.

Their money was matched dollar for dollar by the BHP Billiton Matched Giving Program.
The mining company also paid for her flights, accommodation, car hire and extra medical expenses.