Christopher Capper has become seriously ill after drinking unfiltered spring water. The 33-year-old Australian was visiting friends near Mount Elliot in July 2021 when he consumed natural spring water, and he has been ill ever since. However, doctors couldn’t give a diagnosis until July 2023, when they realized he was suffering from a waterborne illness that had spread all over his body.
“It Just Feels Like They’re Waiting For Me to Die…”
Today, the illness has destroyed a third of Capper’s lungs, caused kidney failure, and led to septic arthritis in some of his joints. It has also spread throughout his blood stream, affecting his left hip, skin nodules, and lumbar spine. Doctors believe the lung disease came from a bacteria called nontuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM), which is found in water and soil.
Capper is suffering from this waterborne illness despite taking 16 pills a day, which includes four types of antibiotics, with no answer as to when it will end. “I can’t help myself at all and the doctors don’t know much about the bug so it just feels like they’re waiting for me to die,” he said to Daily Mail Australia. “My brain is stuffed from all this medication and they don’t even know if it’s going to work.”
He drives 14 hours on a regular basis from Queensland to Brisbane to receive care at the Prince Charles Hospital. The former roofer had moved several years ago to a rural town in Queensland to care for his ailing father, who has passed away in September 2023, leaving him without any other family members. Friends help him on occasion but he says there is only so much they can do financially.
A “Likely Incurable” Waterborne Illness
Before his diagnosis, Capper underwent an X-ray that found holes in his lungs. Six weeks later, the infection consumed a third of his lungs. In addition to septic arthritis, his diverse symptoms involve vision loss, periods when he can’t close his hands, his legs seizing up, vomiting blood, blood in his stool, and a severe lack of energy.
To make matters worse, Capper suffers from type 1 diabetes and cystic fibrosis, a disorder that can damage organs like the lungs and digestive system. One of Capper’s physician’s said in a report that he is concerned his patient “is slowly dying” from a “likely incurable” waterborne illness. “Our goal is really to try and suppress the infection and buy him some time,” the doctor wrote in a letter where he recommended Capper receive treatment at a hospital closer to home.
It’s not common for Capper to spend weeks in a hospital connected to an IV providing antibiotics. He explained, “My hip is shattered. I’ve got stomach ulcers and my eyes bleed. The doctors call it modern day tuberculosis.”
“Always Sick”
Capper is also in poor financial standing, being unable to work for the past several years because of his illness and he has nearly emptied his inheritance. He owns his home, but he said it would be difficult to sell because of its rough condition; he hasn’t been able to repair it because of his recent struggles.
He has launched a GoFundMe for his medical costs as well as a $4,500 insulin pump to treat his diabetes. The explanation on his fundraiser lacks punctuation as he explained, “im sorry my bio is all over the place its i cant think or anything the same no more due to meds [sic]…”
But there he explains the infection “has spread everywhere including right hip, lower back (L4 and L5), both elbows (which now has abcesses from the bone ranging from 50mm to 150mm).” (Edited for clarity.) He adds that he suffers from painful fractures in his hip, and stated he is “always sick.”
“I’m Blown Away by Everyone’s Generosity…”
“I’ve also got type 1 diabetes and sarcoidosis, an autoimmune disease, and cystic fibrosis… I have uncontrollable diabetes due to steroids and just can’t eat as much due to nerve damage in my stomach.” (Edited for clarity.) An insulin pump is an alternative to manual injections, and better mimics how a pancreas releases insulin, which helps avoid blood sugar levels that are too high or too low.
In an update on September 13, 2024, Capper thanked all of his donors, explaining that “one of the hardest things about trying to get better is keeping my sugars normal.” Fortunately, he can now begin the process of getting the pump. “I’m blown away by everyone’s generosity and thank you all from the bottom of my heart.” (Edited for clarity.)
How to Avoid Waterborne Illness
Registered dietitian Gillian Culbertson explains that drinking from an unfiltered spring comes with the risk of waterborne illness. “Spring water and other sources of untreated water flow through rock material and come into contact with organic material that is a breeding ground for bacteria,” he said to the Cleveland Clinic. “Without proper filtration and decontamination, it can make you very ill.”
“When you choose to drink water that hasn’t been properly tested and filtered, you’re taking a big risk. If you’re looking for an alternative to drinking water straight from your faucet, there are safer ways to do it.”
If you have a body of water on your property, contact your local health department about a sample test. Home test kits aren’t as reliable as certified lab tests, and the experts can advise you on how to best treat and filter the water.