On Christmas Day 2007, newlywed Megan Dodd received the worst news imaginable.

While on their honeymoon in Europe, Megan’s husband Paul tripped down a flight of stairs after a self-timed light went out early. He sustained a severely traumatic brain injury just 24 days after their wedding. As a result, Paul’s cognitive abilities were almost entirely reduced and he would remain in 24 hour care until his passing in late 2009.

Since the accident, Ms Dodd has dedicated herself to producing positive results from her and her husband’s personal tragedy. “I won’t allow Paul’s life to have been in vain,” Ms Dodd said.

“I have been donating to the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife on Paul’s behalf since his accident.” Ms Dodd said. “Every birthday, Christmas, and also his funeral in December 2009, I donated money in Paul’s name. This is to ensure that the things he was most passionate about in life, such as conservation and protection of native Australian flora and fauna, continue to be supported.”

Paul was an Environmental Scientist who worked for the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency.

In the lead up to the one year anniversary of Paul’s passing on the 20^th of December, Ms Dodd is committed to honouring Paul’s memory by participating in the 10km Brisbane Resolution Run with a team of close family and friends, called ‘Team Dodd’. Resolution Run is also being held in Adelaide and Sydney on the same day.

Team Dodd is hoping to raise $5000 from sponsors. All funds raised by the team will go directly to the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife to fund on-ground projects with tangible conservation outcomes.

“Megan’s spirit is amazing,” said Ms Leonie Gale, CEO of the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife. “We sincerely appreciate her ongoing support since her husband’s accident. We feel that her contributions are a creating wonderful living legacy to Paul and the causes that he loved.”

Ms Dodd’s donations in Paul’s name are funding habitat protection, the building of wildlife corridors, the purchase of land to add to national parks, and programs to increase animal populations that are on the brink of extinction.

Ms Dodd came into the national spotlight during 2009 following a battle with Centrelink. She was told that her job as a fundraiser, earning about $60,000 per annum, placed her outside the income threshold that would allow her husband to receive a full Disability Support Pension.

Though she had a mortgage and Paul’s ongoing medical bills to pay, Ms Dodd was advised that she should either quit her job or divorce her disabled husband. In a move that surprised and offended Ms Dodd, Centrelink sent her divorce papers in the mail.

After media coverage of the Dodd’s story and a national outcry, Centrelink revised their decision and provided Paul with a full disability pension.

In spite of everything, Ms Dodd holds no ill will towards Centrelink or any of the other government departments that were involved. She is very grateful to all who helped her husband. “I couldn’t have survived those two years without the wonderful support of our team of doctors, nurses and alternative therapists and also, which goes without saying, Paul’s and my family,” she said.

Of the accident, Ms Dodd said: “I couldn’t believe that just days earlier we’d been skipping along the streets of Paris, hopelessly in love.”

What can you do to help?

• Make a donation on Megan Dodd’s Resolution Run Fundraising page at www.everydayhero.com.au/hero_pages/view_posts/megan_dodd
• Find out about the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife at www.fnpw.org.au

In the Media

• Southern Free Times, 16th December 2010
• Charleville Western Times, 16th December 2010