A British man who lost an arm while backpacking across Australia is crowdfunding to allow him to regain the “exciting and adventurous life” he previously enjoyed.
Henry Dunn, 23, spent 11 months travelling across southeast Asia, New Zealand and then Australia before he was injured last November.
He was involved in a “serious accident” just a week before he was due to leave the cattle ranch in the Northern Territory he had spent three months working on.
Henry was later airlifted to hospital where he underwent emergency surgery which resulted in the amputation of his lower left arm.
He says that under Australia’s Northern Territory Workers’ Compensation Scheme he is unable to sue his employer for negligence under common law and so he needs to fundraise to pay for things “that are not covered by insurance”.
Writing on his GoFundMe page, he said: “This includes things such as specialised equipment for sports and daily living which will enable me to continue participation as well as leisure activities including cycling, Crossfit, gardening, fishing, surfing just to name a few.
“As well as adaptive training courses, charitable events and seminars which will all aid my recovery.
“Any donations you can give will be massively appreciated.
“I will keep you posted on my progress via my Instagram and how the donations you have made improve the quality of my life as an amputee.
“I am optimistic about the future and the challenges to come.”
Before the accident, Henry was determined to see the world after graduating from Cardiff Metropolitan University in 2020.
Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic affected his plans, so when the world gradually reopened he jetted off last January.
He initially went to southeast Asia before progressing to New Zealand and Australia.
“In the 11 months of being away, I met amazing people, experienced new cultures, foods, and activities which all aided my personal development and view of the world,” he said.
Since returning to the UK, Henry, from Gloucestershire, has been sharing images and videos of his recovery.
Clips include him having a new prosthetic arm fitted and doing strenuous activities like rowing and lifting weights.
Showcasing a new pin lock prosthetic arm, he wrote: “A new cast had to be created due to the changing of shape of my residual limb. The changing of shape is a positive thing as overtime it has decreased in size.
“The functions are exactly the same as my previous one, but the pin lock system will stop the prosthetic from coming off due to sweat like the previous one did.
“It is far easier to put on and off using a pin lock system as it is basically a quick release and easy to lock in.
“I managed to have a little play on the rower during one of my physio sessions which felt great but maybe at a 20% push.”
