Complex Rehab - Simple Solutions - Leigh McBurnie

We have an experienced and dedicated Complex Rehab team in Queensland and recently from that team we followed Leigh on an average day on the job. From the word go, Leigh was an attentive professional and demonstrated her expertise in all aspects of paediatric equipment, their benefits and the most crucial element, the children themselves.

Meet our Complex Rehab Equipment Specialist in Queensland, Leigh, who inspires us with her passion for Complex Rehab. 

What does being a Complex Rehab Equipment Specialist mean to you? 

We have the opportunity to work out the best combination of equipment for complex clients to provide expert advice and fitting skills to the equipment.

What is the biggest challenge of your job? 

One underlying theme is families needing their equipment to provide multiple functions, across various environments while at the same time still be supportive/lightweight/foldable and strong. This can be difficult to achieve, so we have to work with the families and therapists to find a compromise but we always strive to find the right solution. 

What has been your greatest success story with respect to one of our end-users?

I really can’t pick just one success story, I know my equipment does help change lives everyday! I guess one little girl comes to mind. She suffered a high spinal cord injury and I provided her with a manual wheelchair as a back up to her power wheelchair. She wanted to be able to play her 3DSI with a stylus she held in her mouth as she had no upper limb function. We were able to support her head and provide her with a custom made height and angle adjustable tray which enabled her to play her game. Her excitement was just beautiful and she said that this tray was the best thing ever! Bless her cotton socks.

What is your answer to why you do what you do? You seem to do it because you love it, but why?

I love working with children, they are the primary reason I became a physiotherapist and they certainly are the reason I do what I do. The work that I do gives me opportunity to use my clinical skills and feeds my passion for working with children. The equipment I work with is brilliant and I feel passionate about providing equipment packages to my clients.

What's it like to be a woman doing your job? 

Although physically the work I do is demanding I think I have an advantage in the paediatric field being a woman. Often the child’s main caregiver is a woman, as are the therapists, and the families generally feel at ease with me handling their child. I think being a mother and a therapist helps me pick up on children’s non verbal communication, which is an advantage during appointments when children have limited ability to communicate their needs.

What’s your favourite thing to do when you’re not working?

I love hiking, listening to music and spending time with my family.