[imagesource: Alison Botha]

Gqeberha rape survivor Alison Botha, a beacon of resilience for South Africans, shared on Tuesday that while she feels nervous about the road ahead, she is determined to make a full recovery.

As if being raped, her neck slashed 17 times, stabbed in the stomach 37 times, disembowelled and dumped on the outskirts of a nature reserve, left for dead, wasn’t enough of a harrowing ordeal to survive, Alison has also been trying to recover from brain surgery.

You might recall that nightmare of a situation happening to Alison 30 years ago after two men raped and savagely mutilated her in December 1994 on the outskirts of Gqeberha (then Port Elizabeth).

Then, on 25 September this year, the brave motivational speaker had to fight for her life again as she was rushed to a public hospital in George after suffering an aneurysm, which happened to be just days after her 57th birthday. Early in October, Botha had to undergo brain surgery to relieve fluid buildup.

For the first time since being hospitalised, the 57-year-old personally updated the public on her progress on 25 October with an official update on her Facebook page, per The Citizen.

“As many of us have predicted and believed, Alison does not seem done with her miracles just yet. In the last few days, she has been communicating with vigour and lots of heart despite not being able to mobilise.”

On 29 October, she was able to update the public on her health herself, saying “It’s been a while. After a month, I am able to personally update you on my recovery thus far.

“I am still in hospital and starting the long journey of rehabilitation. I have been assessed by the doctors and physio therapists. Soon, I can be transferred to a specialist rehabilitation centre, all because of the generosity of so many selfless people. Thank you.”

Things got rocky again on Tuesday, when Alison Botha’s lawyer, Tania Koen, shared an update on the beloved Gqeberha survivor’s recovery journey. Two weeks ago, Alison was moved to a step-down clinic, marking a hopeful step forward.

“The days are long, and the progress slow and taxing,” Koen explained, “ but Alison is committed despite so many of the realities setting in and the fear of the unknown.”

She also shared the news that Botha has suffered an unexpected setback. She had to be transported by ambulance to a bigger, public hospital facility with the necessary equipment for the scans she needed.

“We will keep you posted,” Koen assured, as South Africans continue to rally behind Alison with unwavering support.

Botha does not have medical aid to pay for her treatment and is therefore reliant on donations to pay her medical bills.

If you wish to help out financially, you can send some money to:

Tania Koen Attorneys
Nedbank Trust Account No 1302230492
International donations include SWIFT code NEDSZAJJ
Tania Koen: tkatt@mweb.co.za

Alison was left for dead near Schoenmakerskop that horrible, life-changing night, where she managed, by some miracle, to crawl to the main road where a good samaritan came to her aid.

Her attackers Frans Du Toit and Theuns Kruger were released on parole last year.

If you’re interested in her story, there is a doccie on Showmax called Alison:

“This is my tale, my way, and it’s not the end,” she says in the documentary.

[source:citizen&algoafm]