Personal message

Sean Michael Connoway, known as Michael, is a remarkable 22-year-old who battles a rare and life-threatening condition called Marble Bone Disease.

Despite being one of only 33 cases in South Africa, Michael has defied the odds with 24 surgeries, which included emergency procedures where they removed and thinned sections of the scull, which is as hard as marble, to create more space and relieve the pressure on his brain.  Sadly, the bone continues growing and thickens again, resulting in more operations.  With every scull operation, Michael was warned that he had less than a 50% chance of survival, and if he survived, he could face serious complications like paralysis, blindness or more.

 

A benign tumour was found in his brain in June 2023 which was blocking the drainage of fluid from his brain to his spine. The first emergency attempt to remove the tumour in Pretoria in July 2023 had many complications, including brain damage, short term memory loss, paralysis on his left side and he was moved to a rehabilitation facility where Michael and his family were told  that this type of brain injury usually takes 2 to 5 years to recover, and even then the recovery could be only partially, yet Michael was walking again in a matter of 3 weeks, astonishing even the medici! Sadly, they found that a small section of the tumour had not been removed and a second attempt performed in October 2023, was successful, but he has since been battling with infections.

His educational journey, marred by frequent interruptions due to surgeries, saw him complete matric and pursue online studies in Graphic Design in 2023. A great achievement was being chosen as a Student Council Member! Michael had done so well in his studies and we are praying that he will recover fully and be able to continue his studies again this year.

Michael's resilience and recovery have been described as medical miracles, through many prayers and all praise to our Heavenly Father who carried him through. His testimony has touched many hearts.  Through all his hardships, being bullied as a child, and constant pain, Michael never complains. He is an inspiration to those around him.  A son to be proud of!

The Connoway family, based in Cape Town, faces overwhelming medical costs, including accommodation and travel to Pretoria for operations, coupled with a loss of income for his parents to attend to the care he needs. The medical aid hospital plan does not cover the frequent doctors’ visits, medication, scans and tests needed.  The last few months have been extremely difficult financially.

Michael's ongoing medical needs, include urgent follow-up scans in January 2024 and a potential future operation in Pretoria. As the family navigates this difficult journey, they seek support for medical expenses and ongoing care.

This Back-a-Buddy Campaign was the initiative of close friends of the family.

For updates and more about Michael's journey, visit the Facebook page: Michael Connoway’s Journey.

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