Sweeping towards the Paralympics in a canoe

Sweeping towards the Paralympics in a canoe

Despite becoming paralysed at 19 after falling from a tree, Doctor Xander Van Der Poll has beaten the odds with his unstoppable attitude. He shares his story on International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

"I was in my first year of medical school. While home studying, I went for a walk and stopped to climb a tree. I lost my footing and ended up falling about three metres onto an exposed root. As soon as I hit the root, I couldn't feel my legs. I tried to sit up, but I couldn't," he tells This Is MedTech.

"I was rushed to hospital, where they confirmed a T12 spinal injury and a collapsed lung. Within hours of the accident, I found out that I was permanently paralysed from the waist down." Xander underwent seven hours of surgery, which involved removing bone fragments from his spinal cord and relieving the pressure from inflammation. Then the surgeons inserted two titanium rods to stabilise his spine.

"It was a dire situation and I was in excruciating pain. It was also difficult to accept that, at 19, I was paralysed for life. I had always been a keen athlete, so it was a major blow," Xander explains. "I was lucky to have the best support network around me. My parents didn't leave my bedside and they didn't let me go to a dark place. They said we wouldn't let this defeat us."

Indeed, Xander took his first-year medical exams from his hospital bed six weeks after the accident. He was then transferred to a spinal rehab centre, where he spent a few months. After finding out that he'd passed his exams, he took a year off his studies to rehabilitate fully.

Now 25, Xander is a practising doctor and, as if that's not enough to keep him busy, he's become a professional athlete. He's training for the 2028 Paralympic Games as a sprint canoeist for Great Britain. "Especially after my accident, I've had a drive to make sense of what's happened," he says. "This has meant getting into 'yes' mode and challenging my limitations."

He and his wife Kirsty, who is also a para-athlete and is just as formidable, spend as much time as they can travelling around the world to prove that they can do it, despite the access obstacles that often stand in their way.

While Xander has been supported by a plethora of advanced medical technologies, from scans to the rods that are still in his back, he points out that his wheelchair is a medical technology too. "It gives me freedom. Without it, I wouldn't be able to do anything," he notes.

As with sport, Xander is keen to prove his capabilities at work. He's excited about advances in medical technologies that allow him to do his job. "I spent some time working with a quadriplegic doctor who really opened my eyes to the tech that makes it accessible for disabled doctors," he explains. One example is ultrasound tech that can be used with one hand.

Without a doubt, Xander feels that his personal experience makes him a better doctor because patients see the human underneath the white coat. "A lot of time with disability, you're forced to give up your dignity and be a little embarrassed. So, a lot of people won't even try. If you can get past that, it may be a bit clunky, but you still can get things done."