Prestonpans 10-year-old re-learning to walk after traumatic brain injury

Young Max fractured his skull and his neck after a simple fall from his bike.
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A schoolboy is learning how to walk again after a simple fall from his bicycle left him suffering from traumatic head injuries.

Max Gare was cycling in the car park of Prestongrange Industrial Heritage Museum when he took a tumble and hit a metal pole.

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A passer-by called an ambulance which rushed Max to Edinburgh’s Royal Hospital for Sick Children where he was diagnosed with a fractured skull, a broken neck and bleeding and swelling of the brain.

Max Gare was cycling in the car park of Prestongrange Industrial Heritage Museum when he took a tumble and hit a metal pole.Max Gare was cycling in the car park of Prestongrange Industrial Heritage Museum when he took a tumble and hit a metal pole.
Max Gare was cycling in the car park of Prestongrange Industrial Heritage Museum when he took a tumble and hit a metal pole.

The ten-year-old spent two weeks in intensive care and was put in a body and head brace for at least three months and is currently undergoing intensive physiotherapy in the neurosurgery ward with help from his mum, Louise McKenna, but their home will require changes to make it easier for him to get about.

To help meet the cost of adapting the family home, freemasons from Lodge Thorntree 1038 in Prestonpans have rallied to the aid Max and his mum, raising £1000 towards the final bill.

Pete Barrie, the Master of Lodge Thorntree 1038 said: “I heard about Max’s accident through a mutual friend and since he was so young and had suffered such traumatic injuries, I wondered how our lodge could assist.

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“During this pandemic, it’s been important to get freemasonry back to basics and assist in the local community, so this was the ideal situation.

Pete Barrie hands Louise Mckenna a cheque for £1,000 to help pay for changes being made to her home.Pete Barrie hands Louise Mckenna a cheque for £1,000 to help pay for changes being made to her home.
Pete Barrie hands Louise Mckenna a cheque for £1,000 to help pay for changes being made to her home.

“We started to fundraise by auctioning off a limited edition print of Rudi Skácel from the 2012 Cup Final and then various members made donations.

“I think everyone could relate to the accident as well, as we are all still kids at heart and I remember having various bumps and bruises myself.”

After lodge members presented Ms McKenna with £1,000 she said: “I honestly can’t thank the brethren of Lodge Thorntree enough for this amazing kindness, it means so much to us.”

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The lodge has also done various charitable work in the past, most recently donating £300 to the Prestoungrange Gothenburg gastropub’s initiative to help provide breakfast packs for vulnerable children in the Prestonpans area.

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