Ballarat grief coach Carolyn Gower recovering from flesh eating bacteria

A Ballarat grief counsellor is learning to walk again after she spent two months fighting a terrifying condition. WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES

The Ballarat community is rallying around grief counsellor Carolyn Gower as she recovers from a flesh-eating bacteria infection. Picture: GoFundMe

A Ballarat grief coach is lucky to be alive after she was diagnosed with a flesh eating bacterial infection that almost killed her.

Carolyn Gower was discovered by her children on March 14 at home in a state of delirium with a very high fever, after she hadn’t responed to a number of phone calls.

She was rushed to hospital where she was diagnosed with the deadly flesh-eating bacteria necrotising fasciitis

A rare condition that can develop when bacteria enters the body through a cut, scrape, burn, insect bite, or puncture wound, necrotising fasciitis can cause death in 22 per cent of patients.

With her life in the balance, Ms Gower spent four weeks in an induced coma Melbourne’s Royal Alfred Hospital where she fought her way through 15 surgeries, including two skin grafts and time in the burns unit.

Now discharged from hospital Ms Gower is learning to walk again as she continues her physiotherapy, exercise therapy and speech therapy.

One of Ms Gowers’s close friends Susan Begbie has started a GoFundMe to help with the costs associated with recovery and the new way Ms Gower has to live.

“These generous donations will assist Carolyn with the necessary requirements for her recovery including medications, dressings, equipment, safety rails, and custom-made compression garments,” she said.

Ms Begbie said her friend was always reluctant to ask for help despite dedicating so much of her life to helping others.

“Carolyn has dedicated her life to helping other widows and grievers across the world as a grief coach, podcaster, and through her social media. While she loves to help others, she finds it hard to accept help in her times of need,” she said.

The community of Ballarat has already raised $1850 for Ms Gower.