RIP Les Keane, Pukekohe MC medic

[scott411]

Les was a member of the PMC Medic team that does our Mr Motorcycles Events, and the Pukekohe CLub events, he travelled down from Whangarei to help us out, and it was always great to have him there to keep us all safe,

he passed away on saturday,

[unstuck]

Never heard of him personally,but anyone who goes out of their way to help in any way people who are involved in motorcycling get a big thumbs up from me.

[Edbear]

Condolences to all. It's always sad to lose someone who is a genuine person and goes out of their way to help others. I hope he didn't suffer unduly.

[arj127]

RIP Les and thankyou for all the years of help at Pukekohe Motorcycle club meets

[scott411]

Written by Dr Rosie

Les’ Obituary


First to introduce myself. I am Rosie Kingham and I am an anaesthetist at Middlemore Hospital. I have worked in the prehospital area in dirt bike sports for many years, because of my two daughters’ involvement in motocross. Sometimes this has had its drawbacks, such as getting out of a warm bed on a freezing cold Sunday morning to stand in the fog beside the Waikato River waiting to treat any fallen riders.
One of the most positive spin offs over the past four years however has been the experience of working alongside Les, whom we honour and remember today.
Les has been my paramedic “rock” over the past four years as we have provided an onsite first aid and triage service for the Pukekohe Motorcycle Club. He brought a wealth of knowledge from his 23 years with St John in the deep south, including attending many motorsport events. He had a passion for all things medical, especially trauma, both in reality and on TV- Kerry did not call him Dr Keene for nothing!
He seemed to have a knack for being at the right place even when travelling- coming across several major crashes and there are several people who owe their lives to Les, but would be oblivious to this. He would say at a motocross meeting that he needed supplies of various things and when questioned why, as he had not been to a PMC meeting he would, with a grin from ear to ear tell me in great detail how he had treated someone either at work or on the roadside.
Last year he asked me to write a reference for him and I have recently reread this. I quote “I find that Les has an exceptional grasp of the clinical aspects of the trauma we deal with, both minor and major and he has a calm and methodical approach with an ability to think outside the square. He is popular with the younger members of the team and is a logical and thoughtful teacher both trackside and in the treatment room.”
One of Les’ greatest disappointments was that our riders in this summer series of trail rides and club days behaved themselves. He was itching to get his hands on some major traumas!!
He was much admired and respected by the members of the clubs and we will miss him. The minis parents especially thought him fantastic as he was able to charm them and their little ones who often only needed TLC but more serious events had to be screened for.
What the majority of people did not realise was that he did not have a good cardiac history and often went beyond the call of duty, doing many things he was probably not “supposed” to do.
This was brought home to me when one of my fellow anaesthetists asked anonymously at a clinical meeting at Middlemore whether he should take on a certain patient for a knee reconstruction. After Les had flown through the surgery and anaesthetic, his anaesthetist rang me and said he had had many sleepless nights before the op worried about Les, and only at the preop consultation did he find out he was a friend of mine. Had I known beforehand I would have told him to forget the cardiologist’s recommendations as Les was a legend. He had the ability to climb or shimmy down steep banks, usually with his heavy paramedic bag, attend to the patient and then miraculously get up the hills again.
At one of the trail rides this year, knowing he was a closet adrenaline seeker, he did the afternoon session on the 4 wheeler“Teryx”, aptly named , to pick up any tail end Charlies who may be injured. The vehicle was being driven by a previous NZ motocross champ, say no more….. one kid in his 30’s another in his 40’s, having an absolute blast! Did our Les stay aboard- no, he helped haul out many bikes from deep west coast sand and assess a couple of people on the way- all this with a knee with no ligaments and his cardiac history. At the next trail ride, again with his characteristic grin he announced that he had been ordered to stay at base- and of course he complied fully Kerry.
I am so grateful to Les for all his help and support, but particularly to Kerry for allowing him to travel and spend his precious weekend time with us. He was never happier than when Kerry came with him to offer support, even when she elected to spend time at the shops and present the credit card at a later date.
I wish you a fond farewell Les, thanks for being you, sweet dreams.