In May 2023, a devastating bus crash in Melbourne’s outer west profoundly impacted the lives of twins Cadin and Ashton Maynard. Their mother, Naomi, faced her worst fears when she rushed to the scene, where Cadin had just been rescued from the wreckage, showing signs of awareness but visibly injured. Naomi was initially assured by medical professionals that Cadin was not at risk of a brain injury, as he was lucid and responsive, leading her to focus on Ashton, who was treated for a concussion.
As the weeks passed, while Ashton’s symptoms improved, Cadin’s health deteriorated. He exhibited troubling signs, including dizziness, fatigue, and memory loss, which escalated to severe headaches and blurred vision. Naomi’s concerns grew, but it took seven months for medical staff to acknowledge Cadin’s condition, eventually diagnosing him with post-concussion syndrome and chronic pain.
Despite repeated visits to healthcare professionals, Cadin’s concussion continued to go unnoticed, leading Naomi to feel increasingly frustrated and powerless. She later articulated that Cadin was clearly suffering from concussion symptoms that had been overlooked. Cadin himself expressed his disbelief that he had been considered fine, highlighting the lack of awareness surrounding his condition post-accident.
Now, two years later, Cadin’s life revolves around managing the long-lasting impacts of his concussion, affecting his ability to attend school regularly and his previous ambitions, including his dream of becoming an AFL player. Naomi lamented that Cadin is only able to attend classes three days a week due to his overwhelming fatigue.
Neurophysiologist Professor Alan Pearce underscored the commonality of such cases, stressing that concussions are often underestimated and overshadowed by other injuries in athletes and accident victims alike. He advocates for increased and ongoing training for medical professionals around brain injuries, suggesting that mandatory concussion education should be as routine as CPR training.
Cadin has recently taken up basketball but still grapples with the emotional and physical toll of his experience, reflecting on how it has curtailed his dreams and altered his daily life. While the incident has left lasting scars, it has also sparked a call for greater awareness and proper treatment of concussion-related injuries to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.