LATEST HEALTH BATTLE FOR LEAH STEWART: SHARK ATTACK SURVIVOR NOW FACING DANGEROUS INFECTION THREAT AS FAMILY ISSUES EMOTIONAL PLEA
The family of shark attack victim Leah Stewart has revealed a fresh “extreme” health obstacle she will need to overcome in her fight for life.
The 34-year-old was mauled by a great white while swimming with friends within a flagged area at Sydney’s Coogee Beach on Saturday.
The mother-of-one suffered suffered bites to her arms and legs, significant blood loss and fractures throughout her body, and was pulled to shore by a lifesaver who paddled through blood-filled water to get to the teacher.
One of her arms has been amputated.
Family — including her mother, and partner Fernando — remain by her bed in intensive care at St Vincent’s Hospital, where she underwent more complex surgery on Wednesday.
“Given the extensive open wounds contaminated with sand and debris, the risk of infection is extreme,” her brother Joshua Stewart said in a GoFundMe. “Please pray for her during her continued surgery and for her body to heal without infection.”
Joshua said the family had been “blown away” by the support, care and love shown to Leah and those closest to her.
Friends curated a playlist of her favourite songs and the family is filling her room with photos as they wait for positive news.
“Thank you all so much for your prayers, words of support, care, generosity and kindness,” Joshua said.
“Your love, concern and help has made a world of difference to giving Leah and her little family some stability and hope for her recovery.”
Leah’s partner made a mad dash home from an overseas conference where he had been presenting after being told of the shocking news.
NSW Premier Chris Minns declared a shark emergency on Wednesday and flagged that contingency funds could be used on mitigation measures.
The incident was the latest in a series of serious shark attacks in Australia in recent weeks.
Steven Mattaboni, 38, was taken by a great white off Rottnest Island on May 16 and Daniel Turpin, 35, was killed by a shark near Albany, in WA’s Great Southern, on June 6.
The deaths of the two spearfishers has prompted pleas for increased funding to tag and research the ocean predators.
In a further tragedy, Queensland man Michael Jensz, 39, was killed in an attack on the Great Barrier Reef on May 24.
SOURCE: https://7news.com.au/news/coogee-shark-attack-victim-leah-stewart-an-extreme-infection-risk-after-wounds-contaminated-with-sand-debris-c-22452336
