KEY POINTS:
Kiwi motorbike racer Aaron Clark has had two major operations as he continues to battle back from horrific injuries. Clark hit a concrete wall at 200km/h during practice for a superbike race at Pikes Peak International Raceway two weeks ago. He was taken to hospital in Colorado Springs with head, chest, pelvis and leg injuries.
Last week he endured a gruelling procedure over several hours in which six plates and 18 screws were inserted into his shattered pelvis and hip. The surgeon, Dr Justine Crowley, spent eight weeks at Middlemore Hospital during her training.
The following day Clark's gall bladder was removed. Megan Clark said the two procedures had taken their toll on her brother.
"One of the setbacks has been the effects of the anaesthetics. His memory appeared to regress dramatically in the days straight after the two operations," she said. "However, he has regained much of this back." Clark, a well-respected MRA racer who lives in the States with wife Tedi, faces an estimated US$1 million in medical bills. A trust has been set up to assist the family with these costs.
* Aaron Clark Trust details: ASB Bank, Whangarei Branch, account number 12-3099-0870500-00.
