Ambos rally round to help ‘family’ member

FAR North paramedics are throwing their arms and support around a colleague who has been forced to have his leg amputated.

Kerry Hill previously worked at the Smithfield and Mossman stations during a 15year paramedic career, but recently became seriously ill while also trying to support wife Julie through cancer treatment.

Colleague and Cairns ambulance station officer-incharge James Andrews said Mr Hill was due to return to work in a fortnight, but was suffering an undiagnosed illness and underwent surgery last week when his leg was amputated.

Mr Andrews said colleagues were now trying to do everything they could to help support the couple and are calling on the community to assist.

“They are the kind of people that wouldn’t ask for help and are just trying to get on with it, but it’s really a point where we’ve got to stand up and help him,” he said.

“He’s been a paramedic for ILLNESS: Paramedic Kerry Hill has had his leg amputated.

THEY ARE THE KIND OF PEOPLE THAT WOULDN’T ASK FOR HELP AND ARE JUST TRYING TO GET ON WITH IT

15 years, working to look after the community and now it’s time to look after him.

“He’s part of our ambulance family.”

The 57-year-old and his wife moved to Cairns from England.

He has spent most of his time at Smithfield and Mossman stations, along with a brief stint at Longreach.

Mr Andrews said he was facing a lengthy recovery and would never be able to work as a paramedic again.

He and another colleague have launched a GoFundMe page to raise money for the couple and it has already reached more than $8000 in two days. On the page it said Mr Hill had been unwell for some time and unable to work with ”much uncertainty in his future”.

“He needs our support now to secure his basic financial needs and to aid in his recovery so that we can hopefully get him back to our ambulance family and serve his community again,” the page said.

To assist go to gf.me/u/ dx8cs.

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Specials valid from 15/05/17 – 28/05/17 or while stocks last

Picture: STEWART McLEAN APPEAL: Clinical support officer Paul Sweeney, James Andrews, emergency medical dispatcher David Penny, acting professional development officer Chloe Page and acting operations centre manager Lea Kettle are supporting Kerry Hill and his wife.