Help Emma’s recovery and ongoing independence!

My fiancé Emma suffered stroke at the age of 19 and was left with right sided paralysis, epilepsy and chronic pain. Since then, everyday life has been a battle. She’s endured numerous brain surgeries, and also a number of operations hoping to help improve movement and reduce pain in her right side. Despite this, she has accomplished so much through sheer determination, hard work and a strong support system.

Since her life-changing brain injury, Emma has become a fierce advocate of young women who have had traumatic brain injuries and need a voice.

She has thrown herself into volunteer work in different capacities. She’s hosted fundraisers in aid of the Stroke Foundation, Memorable Challenges and Nepalese orphanages, given talks in schools about her lived experience, appeared on panels relating to the treatment of young people in hospital and has had public speaking engagements and interviews to further the awareness of stroke and epilepsy in young people.

Let’s not forget, her biggest achievement after being told how unlikely it would be, becoming a mum to our beautiful daughter Meadow.

However, now it’s come to a time when she needs to ask for your help.

This year we were told Emma required more major surgery on her right leg as she is getting to the stage where she is unable to walk, even small distances, without intense pain.

This surgery has left her bed bound for the next six weeks and then a long road ahead of rehabilitation. Obviously, this will impact Emma’s ability to care for Meadow and also carry out day to day tasks that you and I take for granted. Her occupational therapist has recommended a mobility scooter to give Emma more independence to be an active member of the community.

You might think “why aren’t the NDIS funding this?”. Well despite recently requesting for Emma to receive ADDITIONAL funding for a support worker and a mobility scooter, the NDIS has dramatically cut her funding (reducing her physiotherapy sessions, in home support hours and access to disability aids), and only approved a minimal amount for a scooter.

Unfortunately, the NDIS has not given us any explanation as to why they feel Emma doesn’t need the help she so desperately deserves!

We are hoping to raise enough to cover a mobility scooter and also the additional care Emma will need when she is home.

For someone who is always so quick to help others, asking for help does not come easy to her.

Any donation big or small will make a huge difference in Emma’s life.

Thank you for taking the time to read Emma’s story.

If you want to know more about Emma, please visit her website: https://www.onegirlandthesea.com/