Harness racing participants rallied around Sophie Stapleford, the daughter of Cessnock harness racing trainer Andrew Stapleford, after it was announced the 21 year-old Childcare worker was due to undergo surgery to remove a brain tumour.
The operation took place just over a week ago and Sophie has posted the following message on her Facebook page.
“So it's been a whole week since my major surgery, I am still feeling very sore with bad headaches, tired and bruised with not much feeling towards my left side of my face, but I am feeling very self confident that this whole situation is a lot better than anybody including the surgeons expectations, I honestly can’t believe it.
“From a small two month gap the tumor had grown a lot, the first few discussions with the neurosurgeons he was very discouraged about the outcomes after surgery, he told me that after the surgery if he had taken the whole tumor out my eye would be permanently shut, along with a lot of face nerves, hearing etc being damaged, if he chose not to take it all out he would only take 50% out to keep my eye sight for a few more years and then after that he would have to take it all out causing the eye to shut eventually.
“ALTHOUGH! With such a great, caring human being, neurosurgeon Charlie Teo went into this operation with such grace and caution he exceeded more than he ever thought he would, the tumor had attached to my skull base and a lot of other nerves and arteries since it grew between two months, but Charlie proceeded with such cautious expectations and he came out on top! I have nerve damage to the left side of my face but hopefully over a period of time it will fix itself, my eye is sore but it opens a bit blurry but hopefully will fix soon enough my hearing is a little sensitive but it's working.
“With such bad news before the surgery it was a very scary intimidating thought of having no eye sight or anything like that but he did such an amazing miracle, I seriously feel so so lucky even though I've had to go through this I feel extremely lucky that he has performed something so incredible, so incredible that he never thought he would achieve.
“Everybody's support has been so amazing to me and I will need it while I get through this tough period of recovery, I know I haven't replied or thanked many people my phone/Facebook everything hurts my eyes a lot so I will come to that when everything is fixed.
“Thank you every body for getting me through this, and thank you Charlie Teo.”
HRNSW wish Sophie all the best in her recovery and thank the harness racing industry for its support. The fundraising evening at the Cessnock Leagues Club on Saturday August 1 will be a big night with a number of auction items including a NSW Breeders Challenge Owners Bonus Certificate.
Harness Racing NSW (HRNSW) is the controlling body for harness racing in New South Wales with responsibility for commercial and regulatory management of the industry including 31 racing clubs across the State. HRNSW is headed by an industry-appointed Board of Directors and is independent of Government.
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To arrange an interview or for further information please contact:
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Name:
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Greg Hayes
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Position:
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Media Co-ordinator
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Phone:
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(02) 9722 6600
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Email:
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ghayes@hrnsw.com.au
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