The south coast football community is getting behind a rising footy talent after he was forced to put his career on hold due to a rare disorder diagnosis. See how you can help in his recovery.
The south coast footy community is rallying behind local U18s player Ashton O’Dea after he was forced into treatment for a rare neurological disorder that has put his footy journey on hold.
O’Dea, 18, is a highly touted young footy star who most recently was part of the Illawarra South Coast Dragons side that triumphed in the Laurie Daley Cup.
The disorder he’s experiencing is called Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) and effects one in every 100,000 people, with it being incredibly rare to experience once, let alone for O’Dea who is experiencing it for the second time.
“He’s keeping in good spirits,” mother Lindy O’Dea said.
“It’s a very specific pain, and having gone through it the first time, he knew it immediately this time.”
The disorder makes one’s immune system mistakenly attack the central nervous system of the body, essentially breaking down the body from the inside.
“It sends a really strong shock through the body … severe pain, pins and needles in his legs, he couldn’t move,” Lindy said.
“It’s very concerning that he has it for the second time.”
O’Dea plays his club footy for Albion Park Oak Flats Eagles, captaining the U18s side and having made his debut appearance in the first grade side this season.
He has risen through the representative ranks in the Illawarra, playing Andrew Johns and Laurie Daley Cups with the Illawarra South Coast Dragons, as well as the Harold Matthews Cup with the Illawarra Steelers.
A second rower, O’Dea is described fondly by his coach as someone who leads on and off the park.
“He’s just a good human,” said Gary Breakspear, coach of O’Dea’s U18s side.
“He’s quiet, not the most vocal player, but his actions speak louder than his words.
“You love to have him out there on the park in your colours, he’s got that presence about him.
“Especially with our team, where there are a lot of first year players around him, he’s a good comfort player to have on the side.”
O’Dea’s first experience with the extremely rare condition came when he was 16 on the back of his Andrew Johns Cup campaign.
Back then it took six months for O’Dea to fully recover and return to sports, with this time expected to be a similar time frame for the young footy star.
“It’s a real shock for a young person like that who should be enjoying life, going to uni and playing footy,” Breakspear said.
“Two weeks ago he’s running around like normal, now he’s getting around with a walking frame.
“He’s resilient though and he still came down to watch training with a smile on his face.”
O’Dea has gained early entry into the University of Wollongong for next year and is also a coach for the U14s Albion Park Oak Flats junior team.
“He’s still able to watch his U14s train and watch them play on the weekends which is great,” Lindy said.
“He’s got a great group of mates around him as well, supporting him all the way through this.”
O’Dea has a long recovery and rehabilitation on his hands, so a GoFundMe has been set up to help Ashton and his family during a difficult time.
Originally published as Career on hold for 18-year-old junior rep footy talent Ashton O’Dea after rare disorder diagnosis