Help Yvohn Recover After A Life Changing Injury

Hi, my name is Yvohn Ray Rosero, and I’m an international student living in Australia, far away from my family in the Philippines. I’m reaching out for help after experiencing a medical emergency that has changed my life in just a matter of days.

What happened:

On Thursday, March 27, I was working a shift at my retail job when I accidentally cut my left index finger on the corner of a metal discount sign. It seemed like a minor injury — I disinfected the wound, stopped the bleeding, and continued my shift as normal, even working a closing shift later that evening.

But the next day, everything changed.

I woke up with swelling, stiffness, and intense pain in the injured finger. I had a fever, chills, and was visibly unwell, but I still showed up to work. My coworker immediately noticed something was wrong and helped clean and dress the wound again. By the time I got home, the pain had become excruciating, and I was rushed to the Westmead Hospital Emergency Department around 5:45 PM. After a long wait of almost 6 hours, I was finally seen — and by that point, the infection had spread all the way to my left elbow. My finger had already turned necrotic. I was admitted right away.

A Life Threatening Diagnosis:

On March 29, I was transferred to the ICU, where I’ve remained since, under close monitoring. The diagnosis:

Necrotizing Fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating bacteria — a rare but aggressive infection that spreads quickly and destroys tissue beneath the skin.

Doctors told me that my case progressed alarmingly fast. In just one day, the tissue in my index finger had already started dying. The infection led to sepsis, a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body’s response to infection causes widespread inflammation. Thankfully, it was caught early after the first surgery— but the damage had already been done.

The Outcome

In the span of two weeks, I’ve undergone five surgeries to try and save my finger. But on April 7, doctors had no choice but to amputate my left index finger to stop the infection from spreading further.

I have another surgery scheduled for April 9 for skin grafting, and I’ll need hand rehabilitation therapy afterward, as the other fingers on my left hand were also affected. I am still in the hospital and facing a long road to recovery — physically, emotionally, and financially.

Why I’m Asking for Help:

As an international student, I don’t have family here to support me — I’m facing this completely alone. I had just started this job a month ago, and now I can’t work for at least another month while I recover.

The donations will go toward:

How You Can Help:

This entire experience has been overwhelming, but I’m trying to stay strong. Any amount you can give — no matter how small — will help me get through this incredibly difficult time. If you’re not able to donate, even sharing this campaign would mean the world to me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kindness, support, and prayers.

With gratitude,

Yvohn Ray Rosero