My son in law, aged 30, currently lives in Hong Kong, with my daughter, where they were married in April 2025, last year.

Devastatingly, during his first year of marriage, Dewald sustained a life changing, traumatic head injury in January 2026 whilst playing rugby in the Hong Kong Men’s Premiership where he has currently played for 5 years.

Previously, he had had a long, successful professional career from the age of 16, playing in South Africa before covid hit in 2020.

Following the incident, Dewald was taken to the A and E unit at the Queen Elizabeth hospital where CT scans highlighted a bleed on the brain, however multiple MRI scans later and 2 separate Neuro-specialists appointments, he was diagnosed with a suspected ‘high grade’ glioma brain tumour.

Following an intense 10 week period, numerous hospital visits with psychologists, anaesthetists, and consultants, he underwent an 8.5 hour ‘awake craniotomy’ operation to resection the tumour. During this procedure he was coached to perform both functional and cognitive tasks and surpassed our expectations!

Dewald and his family cannot praise the multidisciplinary surgical team at the Queen Elizabeth hospital, and all those working on the neurosurgical wards for their professionalim, expertise and care before, during and after such a highly skilled procedure…”we honestly cannot thank them all enough for their positivity and support when we were most vulnerable!’

Currently we are now patiently awaiting the full pathology results.

During the previous weeks rugby game, Dewald was awarded ‘Play maker of the round” by his coaching team who have supported him throughout the past months.

From a busy kindergarten teaching schedule, intense daily training sessions, coaching a youth rugby team and playing weekly, Dewald’s life has altered dramatically. In order for him to fully recover from the surgery, he will need to undertake much respite and recuperation. Through sheer grit, determination, and lifestyle changes, he is making a steady recovery from surgery albeit in the face of adversity.

We personally would like to thank everyone who has supported Dewald through this stressful period with messages of support especially those who have been there in person, his tremendous rugby coach and teammates, and again all the team at QE hospital.

This page has been set up by a close family friend in hope that any money raised will support Dewald through the coming months and any uncertainties he may face regarding his future pathway, retraining, and rehabilitation whilst he’s unable to play, train or coach.

Thank you in advance to anyone who donates, shares this page or wishes him well.