Help Stephan with Treatment and Surgery

Hey everyone! This is Brooke here, Stephan’s girlfriend. Stephan is currently hospitalised and very unwell as a result of complications with his shunt and Spina Bifida. We are reaching out in this difficult time to please ask for support with Stephan’s treatment and upcoming surgery, his second major surgery in less than 6 months.

In August 2021 Stephan fractured the tubing of his shunt, with the shunt also blocking, this requiring a full shunt replacement surgery in September 2021. This surgery and the appointments/scans leading up to it caused a massive out-of-pocket financial burden, however we were hopefully that this would be the last surgery for a while and just managed to sort it out.

Following this surgery however Stephan didn’t recover, getting more and more severe neurological symptoms causing him to be in chronic severe pain whilst being taken in and out of hospital constantly. After numerous neurosurgeon appointments, neurologist appointments, scans and admissions Stephan has now been back in hospital for an extended period. Doctors now say he will need further surgery to his head and brain to resolve his pain/symptoms, to hopefully allow him to recover and live a full and happy life once again. The first surgery in September was a massive financial and emotional burden, and now that further surgery is required we are asking for the help of our amazing friends and family to support Stephan in financially handling this new surgery and treatment.

Anyone that knows Stephan knows what an incredible, community-minded man he is. Prior to these issues he was an internationally ranked wheelchair tennis junior player, nationally ranked wheelchair NRL player, an active member within his Campbelltown council area and the first person to help out any charitable organisation in any way that he can. He is an avid Wests Tigers supporter, working for the club in their community department, as well as working with Wheelchair Sports NSW to educate others on diversity, inclusion, and the joys of wheelchair sports. Stephan also worked as a professional model, noteably modelling for the Iconic recently to showcase their Tommy Hilfiger adaptive range, along with countless print and television ads. Stephan is an incredible role model to all he comes in contact with, but particularly to kids and young adults, regularly advocating for those with a disability and mentoring others along their journey. He is the first to put his hand up and lend a hand to anyone that needs it, now we are asking if anyone is willing or able to do the same for him and generously help out in this difficult time.

Stephan has already had to sacrifice so much with this period of illness, heartbreakingly having to withdraw from the Australian Wheelchair NRL World Cup team for 2022 and being unable to work for an extended period due to his surgery and multiple hospitalisations. He is in severe pain daily and is unable to sit up and move around for long periods. We only hope that we can help support him through this period so he can once again get back to the things he loves.

All money raised will go directly to Stephan’s hospital bills for surgery and treatment. If there is any money leftover, he will be donating this straight to the Spina Bifida Clinic at the Sydney Children’s Hospital so that children with Spina Bifida and their families can continue to receive the same amount of amazing support and care that Stephan received as a child.

We thank you all so much for your generosity and support in advance, and will keep you updated with Stephan’s progress as the situation develops.

Sending big hugs and blessings to you all xx