Please help us raise money for Stephen’s rehabilitation

Money raised will help towards Stephen’s rehabilitation once home in the UK

Hi, my name is Emma & I’m helping raise funds to help my friend Rachel & her husband Stephen with their hospital stay fees, flights & medical bills whilst in Florida.

Stephen Sutton went to Florida with his friend Bert back in October for the Halloween celebrations. After a couple of days in bed since their arrival feeling unwell, on 30th October Stephen went to the Doctors who advised him to go straight to the Emergency Room.

Rachel, who was back in the UK at the time was given the devastating news that the next 6-8 hours would be critical. Stephen was put on life support & the following morning Rachel flew out to be by his side after being advised by Drs to get the next available flight.

Stephen assumed it was his diabetes but this was just the start, he had diabetic ketoacidosis but the underlying cause for him feeling unwell was MRSA. This then lead to pneumonia & sepsis in his bloodstream, affecting all of his major organs. He was heavily sedated & incubated on 100% oxygen.

So far Stephen has been in Orlando Health Dr P Phillips hospital for 6 weeks. He’s also had treatment for a CVA, cellulitis of orbit, essential hypertension, dural sinus thrombosis, lactic acidosis & had a tracheostomy fitted. He’s had acute respiratory failure, acute heart failure, acute kidney injury & acute metabolic encephalopathy just to name a few treatments needed so far.

The next steps will be a medical flight home to start his intense rehabilitation back in the UK once he’s off the ventilator & breathing on his own. This is where we need to raise as much money as possible to help set him up for the future as he will need adjustments for at least 6 to 12 months & Rachel will likely have to be his carer.

Stephen turned 40 on 5th November whilst heavily sedated. It would be lovely to have him & Rachel home to try & celebrate their 10th Wedding Anniversary this Boxing Day. Things are changing daily but as soon as Stephen is fit to fly & there’s a bed for him locally it will be the funds that help get him home & on the road to recovery.