The Flying Bats FC 40th Anniversary Fundraiser

The Flying Bats are honoured to be hosting a special one-off fundraiser for Emma, a beloved player who developed some complex health conditions following a major injury last season.

Almost a year and a half ago, in the final minutes of her first game of the season, Emma broke her ankle. The injury resulted in her developing Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CPRS), a condition where the neurological pathways that signal pain in the brain are continually misfiring, creating stabbing, crushing, and burning sensations to parts of Emma's body.

The difficulty of her recovery also resulted in a second condition known as Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), which has sporadically affected her ability to walk, talk, and do simple things like dressing herself or making meals. She has non-epileptic seizures, dissassociations, fear attacks, and other symptoms that now require full-time care.

These conditions, coupled with her ankle rehabilitation, has had a profound effect on Emma's life. She was forced to quit her dream job as an Assistant Principal in special education, which she had started just months before the accident after studying for 8 years. She delayed her honeymoon with her new wife, Tonina, who she married two months earlier. And she had to withdraw from community sport and much of her social life as she managed the many complexities of her health.

As they continue waiting to receive NDIS support, Emma's family, friends, and Bats team-mates have been constantly by her side. From the day of the accident, her fellow Bats have been regularly checking in, visiting with snacks, sending small notes and funny gifts in the mail, making accommodations, and helping to care for Emma every week. They're still doing this over a year later, in the perfect example of what our club is all about.

This fundraiser is designed to raise money for Emma and Tonina, to help in whatever ways we can with the costs of their rehab and recovery journey. Emma's strength and resilience has been incredible, and the support that her closest circle has shown her throughout this time has been remarkable.

The Flying Bats is a family. On and off the field, our club is built on love, care, and joy. We wrap our arms around each other in times of need, and anyone who knows Emma will know that she has always been the first to extend a helping hand if someone asked for it.

So now it's our turn to step up and help her. Every ticket purchased will be donated to Emma's health fund, in addition to a percentage of purchases at the venue on the day. Please note that you can still make a donation via humanitix even if you can't make it - every donation will go towards Emma's recovery. You’re welcome to invite friends, family, kids and pets from inside and outside the Bats to make this event as big and special as it can be.

We also have a few awesome surprises planned that we'll announce at the event, so make sure you come along to be part of this special afternoon reminding the world and each other of what the Bats is all about.