UPDATE: Bianca Ackhurst’s condition is improving
She can move her arms, fingers, legs and feet slightly and her neck is getting stronger every day.
BRACKENHURST resident Bianca Ackhurst (22) was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome at the beginning of July.
Signs of the disease started appearing on June 26, when Bianca’s fingers and toes started feeling tingly and she showed flu-like symptoms.
The RECORD published a story on page 2 of the July 18 issue, titled “Paralysed girl needs help”.
Also Read: Brackenhurst resident Bianca Ackhurst (22) with Guillain-Barré syndrome needs help
Bianca’s family have shared the latest on her progress.
She was admitted to Netcare Clinton Hospital Intensive Care Unit on July 3 after she and her family were delivered the tragic news. At that point she was relying on a ventilator to breathe because she was completely paralysed. She was also undergoing physiotherapy and a special treatment called polygram and plasma, to help her recover.She was moved to the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital on July 9, where she is in the neurological ward, undergoing intense rehabilitation.
Thankfully, Bianca no longer needs the ventilator to breathe, but only an oxygen supplement. She is still undergoing the polygram treatment. Bianca has a pipe in her throat and still cannot speak, but she is allowed to eat soft foods. She can also move her arms, fingers, legs and feet slightly and her neck is getting stronger every day.
The other good news is that R101 077 has been raised so far on BackaBuddy to be put towards the family’s R300 000 goal to cover Bianca’s medical expenses.
Her family members say they are positive and they pray that Bianca will make a full recovery.
You can help Bianca’s family raise the funds to see her and her loved ones through this difficult journey ahead, and to alleviate some of the financial stress they are experiencing so that they can focus everything on helping Bianca with her recovery.
You can donate any amount of money through her BackaBuddy page by following this link: https://www.backabuddy.co.za/bianca-treatment-guillain-barre
You can also keep up with her progress through her Facebook page called “Support Bianca Ackhurst fight against GBS”.
If you would like to help the family in any other useful way, Bianca’s parents can be contacted on 060 936 8594 (her father, Jeff) or 060 956 2236 (her mother, Charmion).
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