A RECENT urgent surgery left well-known and affable Jeffreys Bay surfer, Tiaan Hoeben, is in severe financial difficulty.
Hoeben is a well-liked and friendly guy and was often involved in charity work in the region. As a result of COVID-19 lockdown protocols, the income-generating work that he was doing became less over time.
After moving from Jeffreys Bay, he found work as an assistant landscaper in the Helderberg region, but this too dried up as lockdown persisted.
After bouts of unusual pain in his legs and feet, it was discovered that Hoeben had abnormal bone growth and bunions on both feet. He was told he would need surgery to continue a normal life.
The first operation was unsuccessful, as the bones did not join or grow together (called a non-union of the bone), so Hoeben had to have a second round of operations.
As a result, he had no choice but to resign from his landscaping job and undergo the operation and subsequent rehab.
It seems the second operation was a success, and he is looking forward to getting on with his life and becoming gainfully employed once again.
With mounting medical bills and no medical insurance, Hoeben has been under severe financial difficulty.
To help him along his way, the Supertubes Surfing Foundation (SSF) and their Surfer Welfare division donated R10 000 that goes directly to settling Hoeben’s medical bills. The SSF recognises the excellent charity work that Tiaan has done in the past and would like to wish him all the best with his recovery.
