Coogee shark attack survivor Leah Stewart reveals major setback in recovery journey

Shark attack survivor Leah Stewart has revealed her second skin graft has failed, months after she was mauled in Sydney .

The 34-year-old teacher took to social media to share a candid health update on her recovery, showing the open leg wound she suffered during the attack at Coogee Beach on June 13.

Stewart revealed earlier this month she was preparing for her second skin graft , and that she hoped the surgery would result in the closing of her still-open leg wound.

“I had my graft checked yesterday and it was confirmed that it failed,” Stewart said in an Instagram post.

“And now we’re not really sure where to go from here. It’s been three-and-a-half months and my leg is still open.”

Stewart has been sharing her recovery online, including adjusting to life with an amputated arm following the attack.

The mother-of-one tried to remain positive about her treatment options on Tuesday, despite the setback.

“I guess the only good thing is we’re trying something different. So I’m having a little break from the VAC machine,” Stewart said.

The portable negative pressure wound therapy device, or VAC machine , had become a constant part of her recovery.

“This machine is pulling all of the wound together and then collecting all of the excess fluid,” Stewart said earlier this month.

The machine, a device five times smaller than the one she was initially using, was still a bulky inconvenience in her day-to-day life.

“It is a little bit annoying because if you forget to charge it, you need to race home and plug yourself into a wall,” she said.

“I’m constantly being harassed by this machine, but I’m very thankful for it because it has made a huge impact on the healing of my leg.”

Now that Stewart has set the VAC machine aside for now, she said: “I can move a little bit more freely.”