Stephenie Rodriguez joins forces with Finish-the-Fight’s Malaria elimination effort as Brand Ambassador
Ready to empower and transform lives
Stephenie Rodriguez is a single mother, a successful entrepreneur, a globally recognized motivational and TEDx speaker, humanitarian, and most recently a Para-Olympian in training in the para-fencing discipline. Stephenie’s personal ambition is to positively impact a billion lives by 2025 and democratize safety in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In September of 2019 Stephenie contracted Cerebral Malaria from mosquito bites on a business trip to Nigeria. She survived a two week coma and near death experience, and commenced a 3-year recovery journey to treat irreversible damage to her feet and hands caused by severe sepsis. In 2021, she became Australia’s first bilateral osseointegrated female amputee, losing her feet above the ankles. Stephenie personifies resilience and articulates the importance of self-love and agency while learning to walk again and live 'bionic'.
“As a survivor of Cerebral Malaria, I know the devastation this parasite causes, not just on a human body, but on families, communities, and societies. A person dies almost every minute from Malaria. Malaria has the greatest impact on women and children. Unlike many of the world’s ailments yet to be resolved, Malaria can and must be eradicated. It is no small task, but the solutions exist. It must be done. In gratitude for surviving such an incredible ordeal, I’m delighted to serve with Rotarians Against Malaria to do all I can to help ‘Finish the Fight’.
- Stephenie Rodriguez
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