As a fit and able-bodied family man, James Brown built a successful working career in several fields of endeavour over many years. Beginning his working life as an accountant in Local government, James rose up through the ranks enjoying incredibly diverse senior executive positions in both city and regional locations. Recruited by NSW Health, James refined his craft in the complex world of health care including a significant time heading up statewide procurement and supply chain initiatives for the public health system. His experiences grew even further with a role in residential aged care and homecare services.
James reached a career high as CEO of a community housing provider in 2016 based in Sydney doing tremendous work supporting people on low incomes with secure housing. It was during this time James led his first initiatives in specialist disability accommodation (SDA) under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). James was particularly excited about the hope and promise of this new scheme and being heavily involved in projects making a real difference in the lives of people with severe disability.
However, in November 2018, there was a tragic and catastrophic turn of events. Without warning, in less than 24 hours James went from being that fit and able-bodied executive and family man to a man fighting for survival needing life-saving intensive care on a ventilator. James had contracted the most severe form of a condition known as Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS). GBS is an auto-immune disease and in the worst cases completely destroys the peripheral nervous system. James was totally paralysed, head to toe, with the capacity to only blink his eyelids.
Life changed forever
With incredible medical care, an amazing family and a broader support network, James fought hard in search for a way back. He spent nearly 4 months in intensive care on a ventilator before transferring to the ward and then to the hospital’s rehabilitation centre. Despite a medical prognosis reporting severe & permanent physical disability, James continued to work hard, fighting to regain any possible recovery of his body.
Throughout this entire episode James maintained a strong and powerful mind. In fact, it had gone into overdrive whilst he prayed for his body to repair. As the months rolled by, he could not stop thinking about his unfinished work in disability housing. What a bizarre twist of fate that James, himself, was now in need of the very housing he was so passionate about.
Incredibly, on 13 November 2019 whilst he was still in hospital and almost a year after being admitted with total paralysis, James started a new business! He wanted to continue on where he left off. With the vision of creating extraordinary homes for extraordinary people, he wanted to find a better way to deliver SDA.
Without any practical use of his hands and equipped only with an iPad, his nose to operate it and a savage determination, James set about the task of getting on with the job. He began by connecting with the best people and organisations in the industry.
On 17 April 2020, after a jaw-dropping 505 days, James finally left hospital. Like so many others, James was unable to find suitable disability accommodation. And worse, forced to remain living apart from his wife and 3 teenage daughters. His previous industry expertise, now combined with his own life experience with disability and quest for accommodation, is a powerful combination and source of much insight and knowledge.
A new way forward
On 9 July 2020, James began the latest chapter in this amazing story and also a milestone for the SDA market in Australia. This date marks the launch of SDA+ as the consumer-led, SDA supply chain.
It is the single point of entry to the SDA market, expanding choice and control to housing and connects leading companies focused on the consumer.
If you share James’ vision for a better future and want to be a part of this incredible story and be part of the shift in the market, connect today.
Connect with SDA+ here
