Bundaberg Hospital nurse suffers shock stroke and now her family needs the community’s help

A Bundaberg nurse who suffered a stroke is facing up to 12 months in hospital on the Gold Coast as she recovers.

Megan Jonas is recovering from a stroke and is suffering paralysis down one side of her body. Photo: Contributed

A Bundaberg nurse who suffered a stroke is facing up to 12 months in hospital on the Gold Coast as she recovers.

Family of Megan Jonas say the Bundaberg Hospital emergency nurse suffered the stroke as she was preparing to go into hospital for dialysis following a kidney transplant that had started to fail.

Talking on speaker phone as she drove from Bundaberg to the Gold Coast with their mother, Megan's sister Kylie said the family was doing everything possible to support their sister and daughter.

It's already been a long road for the Bundy nurse who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 10, before undergoing kidney and pancreas transplants in 2012 after her original kidney started to fail.

Following the stroke, Megan suffered paralysis down half her body which means she can't even turn over in bed by herself and has to undergo physical therapy.

She also suffered brain swelling, which resulted in part of her skull being removed to allow for the expansion.

She will face another surgery to put the piece of her skull back in place.

"At this stage because of Megan's other health conditions we don't know how long she will be in hospital or if or when they can transfer her back to Bundaberg Hospital, which means our parents need accommodation to stay with her and help with her emotional recovery," Kylie said.

"We are not sure how we will afford to pay the rent here in Bundaberg and other bills as well as accommodation at the Gold Coast to stay with Megan."

Megan Jonas pictured at the Gold Coast University Hospital in 2018. Picture Mike Batterham

 

Kylie said Megan was making baby steps to recovery and needed family by her side.

"She's always been very close to her mum and it will help her recover a lot quicker," she said.

"Mum and dad are only on a pension and we don't want to use all of Megan's money because she's going to need to need it to pay her bills."

Kylie has started a GoFundMe page to raise money for Megan and her family and said she had been blown away by the amazing show of support from the community so far.

The family has so far raise more than $2000 of a $10,000 target.

For Megan, she just wants to get back to work as a nurse and feels humbled by the donations so far.

"It blows our minds that people care that much to donate that much," Kylie said.

"She really misses working in the hospital. She just wants to go back to work.

"She's very thankful for everyone's generosity."

The family says if they reach their target and don't need it all, they plan to pay the donations forward to another good cause.

As an organ donor, Megan had done a lot of work for the Donate Life organisation.

To donate to the family's GoFundMe campaign, visit https://gofund.me/25000407.

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