Aussie music star airlifted to hospital
<p>Beloved Australian folk band The Waifs, known for their timeless hits such as "Lighthouse", "London Still" and "Bridal Train", has had to reschedule their current tour as lead singer Donna Simpson recovers from a shocking accident.</p>
<p>The group, which includes sisters Vikki Thorn and Simpson, along with Josh Cunningham, made the announcement on a Tuesday evening through a Facebook post, revealing the unfortunate incident that left fans concerned.</p>
<p>Simpson, at the age of 53, faced a harrowing ordeal when she suffered four broken ribs and two collapsed lungs following an e-scooter accident in Broome, Western Australia. The severity of her injuries was such that she had to be airlifted to a hospital in Perth. </p>
<p>The statement on The Waifs' Facebook page read: <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">"The Waifs Geelong show scheduled for November 10th has been postponed to Friday, March 8th to allow extra healing time for Donna Simpson, who is recovering from an accident after the band's last show in Broome and has been informed she cannot yet fly.</span></p>
<p>“Four broken ribs, two collapsed lungs and a bunch of bruises later, I have realised E Scooters, and I don’t mix,” Donna said. “I would like to take the opportunity to thank the Royal Flying Doctors service who got me swiftly and safely to Perth. And all of the staff at Broome Hospital and Royal Perth Hospital for looking after me so well." </p>
<p>While Simpson is on the path to recovery, she regretfully had to miss the Handpicked event scheduled for the weekend. Still, she expressed her confidence in her fellow band members – her sister Vikki Thorn, Josh Cunningham, Dave Ross Macdonald, Ben Franz, and Tony Bourke – who will deliver a memorable performance in her absence. Simpson humorously quipped, "Not as good as my set without her at Blues Fest, but close!"</p>
<p>The Waifs, formed in 1992 in Western Australia, have become renowned for their independent spirit and unique sound, which has garnered them a dedicated fan base over the years. Their journey to success was not a straightforward one, but it was fuelled by Simpson's unwavering determination.</p>
<p>Thorn, in an interview with <em>The Guardian</em>, shed light on the band's early days, explaining how Donna's vision and can-do attitude propelled them forward. Thorn reminisced, "When we were at school, Donna had the idea to go around Australia and play music. We'd been playing music in the local pub, [and] I don't think we were particularly great at what we did. But she has this can-do attitude … and that attitude carried us through and really created that independent spirit."</p>
<p>The postponement of The Waifs' Geelong show is undoubtedly disappointing for fans, but Simpson's recovery is the top priority, and fans eagerly await her return to the stage. In the meantime, The Waifs continue to celebrate their 20th Anniversary Australian Tour, marking two decades of folk music that has resonated with audiences across the globe.</p>
<p><em>Images: Wikipedia</em></p>
