British backpacker Scarlett Goodrich scratched by feral cat while fruit picking in Victoria

A BRITISH backpacker had emergency surgery to fight swelling on the brain after a cat scratch while fruit picking in regional Victoria left her with a rare blood infection.

Scarlet Goodrich is now fighting for life in hospital. Picture: Supplied

A YOUNG British backpacker is fighting for life in a Melbourne hospital after contracting a rare blood infection while fruit picking in regional Victoria.

Scarlet Goodrich from Devon, England is suffering swelling of the brain and spine after contracting a rare strain of blood poisoning and meningitis from what is believed to be a scratch from a stray cat last month.

Last week the 22-year-old underwent emergency surgery to reduce the swelling around her brain.

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She will spend Christmas in hospital and her recovery is expected to take up to six months. Her mother, Alethea, flew from the UK to be by her daughter’s bedside.

Ms Goodrich had been bartending in Melbourne before she fell ill. Picture: Supplied

Ms Goodrich had been working in Australia for the past 15 months and was bartending in the Docklands before she took the job as a fruit picker just outside Melbourne.

Family told the Herald Sun Ms Goodrich was “a very sociable and fun young woman, with a great sense of humour”.

Scarlet’s uncle Christian Goodrich said it had “long been a dream for his niece to experience Australia”.

But on November 24, the young Brit was taken to hospital suffering crippling back pain and quickly deteriorated.

“Numerous tests and results of a lumbar puncture have concluded she is suffering from two very rare bacterial infections that are affecting her spine and brain,” Mr Goodrich said.

“She’s already battled through meningitis, a rare toxin, an emergency brain operation, chemo, blood plasma exchanges and goodness knows how many tests, ECGs and EEGs,” Mr Goodrich said.

“Even with everything she is going through, her sense of humour and wit are still evident, and also very reassuring for us,” he said.

Mr Goodrich said he was “overwhelmed” by the level and care of generosity of Scarlet’s medical team and friends in Australia.

The fundraising page has been set up by friends and family to help raise money for her ongoing medical treatment which is expected to extend for several months.

“We’ve been supported by so many different individuals in Melbourne, which is a testimony to how kind hearted people are your side of the world,” Mr Goodrich said.

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