WATCH: Geoff Dunsire faced a health crisis due to kidney failure and being forced into a care home for seniors, until Global News intervened. Julia Foy explains.
VANCOUVER – Twenty-six-year-old Geoff Dunshire is doing much better today.
He suffered complete liver failure last July and doctors told him he would not survive without a transplant.
An infection almost left him blind and he became paralyzed from the neck down.
After receiving a liver transplant last September, Dunsire made amazing progress in rehab.
But his family says they were told he would be discharged to Royal Columbian Hospital and they feared he may end up in a seniors’ home.
“That would have put him at risk,” said his mom Tracey. “He shouldn’t have been there, he wasn’t sick, you know, he needs rehab.”
After Global News got involved, Dunsire was moved to a new facility, the Yale Road Centre in Surrey. He is getting physio and working hard on his recovery.
“A lot better than before,” said Geoff about how he is doing.
“In it’s way the rehab is awesome, they’re getting me on my feet. Standing. I haven’t been walking yet but they’ve got me on my feet standing for a minute.”
He said it “hurt like hell” but his ultimate goal is to dance at Roosters Country Cabaret in Pitt Meadows once again so he’s working towards that.
“I like to dance,” he said simply. “At Roosters.”
Tracey said staff at Yale Road Centre are amazing and he is so happy with her son’s progress.
“He’s working really hard,” she said. “They’re working him really hard. He’s only been here two weeks and the results are remarkable.”
When asked how he feels about not going back to the hospital, Geoff just said “great, absolutely great.”
Geoff’s family is holding a fundraiser to help Geoff get back on his feet. To learn more and donate go to their fundraising page.
– With files from Julia Foy
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