Sunday 26 October 2014

Reason for my absence

Sorry I havent been posting much recently but I have been unwell. I have been in hospital they have discovered that my muscular dystrophy is declining once again. They discovered that I now have atrophy in my shoulders caused by my current wheelchair that is causing serious injury and pain. I got a quote for a wheelchair that would accommodate all my current needs and its going to cost just over $21,000.

The company that funded my current wheelchair Statewide Equipment Program (government funded company that assists disabled people fund equipment in Victoria) SWEP only funds a new wheelchair every 7 years and since I have had this one for 4 I am ineligible for funding. Not that I would take this path to get the chair because even if the funds came through I know with SWEP it can take a minimum of 2 years before you even see the item you desperately require. I cannot wait that long especially since this wheelchair is causing serious pain and injury.

So late August I took it upon myself to try and fund the wheelchair myself. I began by creating a facebook page: www.facebook.com/wheelchairforalysia to gain support and to get my story out there and also a crowdfunding website: www.gofundme.com/dhw1ho for anyone who would like to donate to my cause.
I then made several calls and sent letters to several newspapers, radio stations, news programs, charity organisations and current affair shows without any success of gaining any assistance. Earlier this month my husband and I put together a fundraiser market in Crib Point on the Mornington Peninsula. We had a local cover band, over 25 market stalls and over 100 various items donated to raffle off at our silent auction. We raised over $1100.














Since August we have raised over $4,000 from market stall proceeds, donations and selling Cadbury chocolate boxes.

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