'If you can't stand up, stand out.”

The remarkable positive attitude of Jamie Astwood has seen her recover from a life-changing injury as a child to live a full and independent life.

Jamie Astwood will never forget the date 19 January 2013.

Her family were traveling in Northland during the summer holidays. They visited Ahipara and got their boogie boards out to go dune surfing.

'I was always a daredevil child,” she says. 'I was like: ‘Absolutely I'm doing this'. I went all the way to the top, despite my Mum telling me not to.”

On her last run, Jamie hit a patch of grass at the bottom of the dunes. She was thrown off her board.

'I remember thinking: ‘Should I roll off the boogie board or risk it?'. Everything flashed through my mind. I decided to stay on…”

The accident. Last photo before the accident – going down the sand dune. Supplied.

She hit the ground hard and at speed, did two somersaults and landed in a heap.

'I had a crowd of people looking down on me. I was saying: ‘Mum, I can't feel my legs. I can't feel my legs'…. I was scared about what that meant.”

Jamie had broken her back, which damaged her spinal cord. She was paralysed from the chest down – classified as a T4 Paraplegic.

She was flown by helicopter to Auckland's Starship Hospital where she spent three weeks. She celebrated her 11th birthday there. She also had surgery when they inserted two large rods into her spine.

The day of the accident, January 19, 2013. Strapped and ready to leave Whangarei Hospital to Sharship in Auckland. Supplied.

She was later admitted to Wilson's Centre – a rehabilitation centre for children – for two months.

'I had to start again. I had to learn how to live from a wheelchair. It was a really challenging time for me and my family.”

ACC has played a leading role in Jamie's rehabilitation, covering all of her medical costs and some home modifications.

The government agency also paid for Jamie's mum Jo to be her primary caregiver during her recovery.

'As soon as the accident happened, they threw a team together with physios, occupational therapists, psychologists, and a building team to support Jamie and our family,” says Jo.

'I don't know how we would have done it without them.”

With her relentless positive attitude, Jamie has completed a remarkable recovery.

Ten years on from her accident, she is working for the New Zealand Police in Hamilton. Jamie is an administrator and responsible for reviewing firearms applications.

'I just really rate her,” says her supervisor Margaret Ferguson.

'She never makes a big deal about her injury. She carries on and works hard and is always positive. There's a lot more to come for Jamie with her career.

'She has helped the Police and changed a lot of perceptions here, of people who are living with a disability.”

Jamie bought a ski boat this summer and wants to build up to attempt sit skiing.

She is also an ambassador for the CatWalk Research Trust. Early in her rehab, she met with founder Catriona Williams.

'She said to Jamie, ‘People don't want to be around negative people. So, you have to be the positive one – if you can't stand up, stand out',” says Jo.

'She's kept that mindset and has always smiled. I mean sure, there's been tears and upsets, but she has always bounced back to be positive.”

Jamie loves sharing her story. 'If I can make a difference to someone else's life, then that's an opportunity I'll always look to take.”

The Astwood family have gone through Jamie's recovery together. From L-R: Mum Jo, Jamie, Dad Blair and sister Holly. Photo: Ezra McDonald / ACC.

FACT BOX – Spinal injuries in New Zealand

• There are about 5000 New Zealanders living with spinal cord impairments.
• Around 220 people sustain a permanent spinal cord impairment in New Zealand every year.
• About two thirds of these are accidents and one third are health-related.
• In 2022 ACC spent $360m on supporting New Zealanders living with a spinal cord injury.