Adelaide woman hikes Mount Fuji after Australian implant ends five years of pain
Carol Van Der Pennen recovered from five years of pain with an Australian spinal cord stimulator that automatically adjusts.
Carol Van Der Pennen spent five years barely able to walk. A car crash left her with constant pain that kept her awake and confused her thinking.
In February, doctors implanted a new spinal cord stimulator that sends electrical pulses to block pain signals before they reach the brain. The device gave Van Der Pennen relief the moment it switched on.
Unlike older devices, this one automatically adjusts based on how her body responds. It removes unwanted stimulation.
The device was developed in Australia and approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration earlier this year. Van Der Pennen has since travelled to Japan, hiked around Mount Fuji, and returned to driving her vintage car.
- Five years
- Duration of pain
- 80km/h
- Crash speed
Why it mattersNew medical technology gives people with chronic pain a real path back to normal life. It removes the frustrations of older devices.
AustraliaAustralian healthcare now has access to a breakthrough pain management tool that could transform the lives of thousands living with chronic conditions.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 3 h ago
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