Campaign launches for butcher after serious boating incident

After she was in a serious boating incident, a fundraiser has launched to help a successful butcher get back on her feet.

Successful and hardworking butcher Suzanna Roeger has achieved plenty during her career but after a freak incident, a GoFundMe campaign has been launched for the 26-year-old who grew up in Toowoomba.

A hardworking butcher from Toowoomba who will represent Australia in an international competition has had her life turned upside down after almost losing her fingers in a freak incident.

On June 26, Suzanna Roeger was involved in a serious incident while out on a pleasure craft boat on the Pitt River in British Columbia.

Successful and hardworking butcher Suzanna Roeger has achieved plenty during her career but after a freak incident, a GoFundMe campaign has been launched for the 26-year-old who grew up in Toowoomba.

The butcher from Toowoomba who is currently in Canada on a scholarship, was pulling in the boat’s tow line when another boat passed by too close, picking up the end of the line with its propeller.

Ms Roeger’s hand got caught and she was pulled into the water before the line eventually snapped.

During the incident she sustained severe lacerations over her pointer and ring fingers which surgeons were able to reattach, broke many bones and lost the top part of her pinky finger.

Ms Roeger now has pins in her hand to straighten the bones and ensure they heal properly.

Unable to work and requiring full-time care, Ms Roeger is now recovering with the assistance of her friend Samantha Bull, who witnessed the incident.

“Suzie is doing alright … there is a lot of pain, largely due to the nerve damage, but the surgeon is confident that the ring and pointer fingers will keep, and he is happy with how things are healing,” Ms Bull said.

“She is normally a very active person who enjoys going fishing, hunting and hiking, and she is a very independent young woman, so this is very foreign territory.”

Setting up the GoFundMe campaign for her friend, Ms Bull said the funds would be used to help with medical costs such as rehab, custom braces and pain medication as well as rental payments while Ms Roeger was unable to work.

Successful and hardworking butcher Suzanna Roeger has achieved plenty during her career but after a freak incident, a GoFundMe campaign has been launched for the 26-year-old who grew up in Toowoomba.

Prior to the incident and after a decade of working as a butcher, Ms Roeger was thriving in her chosen career.

Straight out of high school she began working in a butcher shop to support herself through university but quickly fell in love with the trade.

Ms Roeger decided to leave university and start a butchering apprenticeship which she finished in just two years.

Now a decade on, Ms Roeger has placed or won in international competitions, was selected for an international scholarship and is set to represent Australia in the youth category of the World Butcher’s Challenge in Sacramento next year.

“I was born and raised in Toowoomba, and I always enjoy going back and visiting my family who still live there, and one day (I hope to) return,” Ms Roeger said.

“As part of the scholarship, I will be sharing my experiences and promoting the trades within high schools.”

More than $9000 has already been raised as part of the online fundraiser.

To donate to the campaign click here.