Help Rebuild Callum Watson

My name is Callum Watson, I’m on the Australian Cross Country Ski Team and I represented Australia at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics. Following Sochi I decided to relocate to Falun, Sweden, to train with the Dala Sports Academy and coach Mattias Nilsson, and in a few short months I made a lot of progress and felt more confident that I was on track toward my goal of breaking into the top 30 on World Cup.

Unfortunately in the Australian Sprint Championships on August 16 I was involved in an incredibly unlucky and serious accident where my lung was punctured by the ski of another competitor. After an emergency chest tube was put in place at the Falls Creek Medical Centre I was flown to the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne to undergo treatment by their Trauma team. Eleven days, several traumatic complications and some extensive pain management later I’m sitting here in the same hospital bed. I had surgery two days ago to successfully seal the hole in my lung and now I am waiting for my third chest tube to drain the remaining fluid and air from my chest.

Finally I am pain free enough to start thinking about the future. I have the determination to get myself back to the level I was before the accident and I am confident of the plan my coach is putting together to have me racing at the 2015 World Championship in Sweden. Rehabilitation and recovery are the main focus initially to ensure my health is 100% as I ease back into a solid training structure. This is all manageable with the help from my team and coaches however the financial situation resulting from this accident requires a lot more assistance. My main source of income for the year was based around coaching in August and September to fund the next season on World Cup, and on top of that I have significant ambulance and medical costs to meet.


Please help me to make my dream possible. I’ll be doing everything I can to maximise my recovery and get back to the point where I can resume normal training, but I’m in the awkward situation of relying on the generous assistance of others to get my finances in order. Every bit counts and is greatly appreciated. Progress on my recovery can be followed on my blog: 
https://callumwatsonxc.wordpress.com