Stronger

A puddle of water on a highway changed Dinesh Palipana's life forever. Halfway through medical school, Dinesh was involved in a catastrophic car accident that caused a cervical spinal cord injury. After his accident, his strength and determination saw him return to complete medical school - now with quadriplegia. Dinesh was the first quadriplegic medical intern in Queensland, and the second person with quadriplegia to graduate medical school in Australia.

Despite all of the pain and hardship he's faced, Dinesh now sees his accident as a turning point for the better in his life. He believes it has made him a better doctor, with a better grasp of the concerns and fears of his patients, and a more sensitive, open human. He fights for equal and equitable access for disabled people, and is a compassionate and skilled doctor working in one of Australia's busiest hospitals.

After everything he's been through, Dinesh believes he is now happier, stronger and more capable than he was before the accident. It helped him to clarify what is important in his life, and taught him that happiness and strength can always be found within.

About the Author

Dinesh Palipana OAM is a doctor, lawyer, disability advocate, and researcher. He became the first medical graduate with quadriplegia in Queensland, then the first graduate doctor with quadriplegia to begin work in the state. He was the second graduating doctor with quadriplegia to start working clinically in Australia.

Dinesh works at the Gold Coast University Hospital and Griffith University. He was the 2021 Queensland Australian of the Year. He was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in 2019. He was the third Australian to receive a Henry Viscardi achievement Award in New York, awarded in 2019.