Stephanie Coral Browitt: White Island volcano survivor delivers health update

WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES.

Almost five years after surviving a volcanic eruption that claimed the lives of her father and sister, Melbourne woman Stephanie Coral Browitt has provided an update on her painful recovery journey.

The decision for her family to leave the Caribbean cruise liner while enjoying a New Zealand island-hopping holiday and join a sightseeing tour to the White Island volcano placed them in what would become a disaster zone.

Ms Browitt, who was 23 at the time, was one of 25 survivors on that fateful day in 2019, with the remaining 22 people including Ms Browitt’s sister Krystal, either dying during the eruption or post-rescue from injuries they sustained.

The toll on her body was immense after suffering lava burns on 70 per cent of her body, and surgeons needed to amputate eight of her fingers.

After years of surgeries and reconstructive skin grafts, Ms Browitt has provided a stoic update on the routine to reinvigorate her body after years of trauma and added a #BURNIVERSARY on social media.

“I thought I’d give you guys an update on what my day-to-day life looks like, compared to what it initially looked like,” Ms Browitt said in social media posts.

“First of all, yes, I am still moisturising and looking after my skin all over my body.

“My skin texture has improved so much and I want to make sure that it stays that way, so every day morning and night I’m moisturised and I rub it in very deeply so that my skin really soaks it up.”

Her daily skin treatment routines are crucial to keep the cells from drying out through adding moisturiser and skin oils.

“My skin feels extremely amazing afterwards, but I also feel like it just helps lock in that moisture more.”

After spending nearly six months in hospital and having many follow-up surgical procedures, Ms Browitt has confided that physio, occupational therapy and gym workouts have been vital to her ongoing recovery.

“Learning to love myself in my new skin has taken time. I was extremely self-conscious and worried about being judged every day,” she told People.

“I find that by staying on top of my strength and stretching my body and my skin both feel better for it”.

On the day of the event, in which a total of 14 Australians lost their lives, the active stratovolcano was assessed at “level two” during the eruption, indicating “moderate to heightened volcanic unrest”.

Survivors testified at an inquiry that they were told of the risks and signed waivers, but were also informed that it was “nothing to worry about”.

Lifeline: 13 11 14.