4 minute read
WISHLIST: a life-changing donation for stroke care
Family businesses are the heartbeat of our vibrant community, and the Armesto family is a shining example of this spirit.
Since its founding in 1972 by Manuel and Rosemary Armesto, Armesto’s Transport on the Sunshine Coast has been transporting freight across the East Coast. The Armesto family is passionate about the community in which they work and live. They recently made a significant donation to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital charity, Wishlist, during the Wishlist Spring Carnival. This cause is deeply personal for the company’s Account Manager, Teresa Armesto-De Winter, whose teenage son, Tony, experienced a life-changing medical emergency at just 19.
On what seemed like a typical Wednesday, Teresa was chatting with Tony, when he mentioned a severe headache. The following morning, her world turned upside down with a heart-dropping call – Tony was in an ambulance on his way to Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH).
“We rushed to the hospital, and when we arrived, they were doing a CT scan, and the doctor said something neurological was going on, and we saw this large mass on the scan,” Teresa remembers. “They weren’t sure if it was an aneurysm or a tumour, but they knew it was serious and that he needed to be flown by helicopter to Brisbane as soon as possible.”
Tony was rushed to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, where doctors clipped an aneurysm but warned Teresa that her son had only a two per cent chance of survival.
Tony spent 16 days in the Intensive Care Unit, supported by machines and the love of his family. A turning point came when his stepdad, Danny, encouraged him, and Tony responded by opening his eyes.
“We burst into tears – he’s there, he knows who we are,” Teresa remembers.
After six months in the hospital, Tony was discharged in December 2019. Teresa took two years off from work to care for her son – life for the family changed completely.
The mother-son duo’s positive and fighting spirit helped them face unimaginable challenges, and five years on, their recovery continues.
Despite losing speech and cognitive abilities, Tony’s determination led him to stand for the first time just six weeks after ICU. Now walking unaided, he has even conquered Mount Ngungun in the Glasshouse Mountains.
As advocates for early intervention in stroke care, Teresa and Tony emphasise the importance of rapid treatment.
“Until you’ve been through this journey, it’s hard to grasp the significance of quick, effective care.”
Wishlist is fundraising $600,000 towards a Biplane machine for SCUH, which will be vital in the early treatment of strokes and brain aneurysms, saving the burden of disability for countless people in the future. It will also bring a vital clot-retrieval service to the Coast – a first for our region – saving people like Tony the time-critical journey to a Brisbane hospital.
“The difference the Biplane Unit would make will be massive,” Teresa adds.
To support Wishlist and help fund a Biplane unit for stroke patients, make a tax-deductible donation today at wishlist.org.au or call 5202 1777. Your contribution can make a vital difference in the fight against stroke.
Enter the drawing to WIN a Toyota Corolla Hybrid! Accelerate local stroke treatment. Tickets only $10. Prizes thanks to Sunshine Toyota and Laguna Holiday Apartments. Visit the website to win!
www.wishlist.org.au/event/bi-plane
