A story that appeared in Noosa Today spelling out the need of a Peregian family to obtain a car able to transport 10-year-old Isabella Taylor who lives with dyskinetic spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy inspired two local groups to unite to donate $10,000 toward the cost of the vehicle.
Isabella who has a Gross Motor Function Classification Scale of five, being the most severe form of cerebral palsy, lives with her mum Lauren and little sister Ohana.
“She has epilepsy, hip dysplasia, developmental delay, terrible dystonia, is non verbal, and has an array of associated health problems directly related to her severe brain injury,“ Lauren told Noosa Today.
“Despite this – she is a social, funny, clever, kind, caring and happy beautiful little girl.
Isabella’s condition affects her life profoundly daily.
Unable to walk or even grasp and hold things with her hands Isabella needs a wheelchair to get around.
“That means my family and I rely on our car for everything – hospital appointments, specialist appointments, endless therapy appointments every week, school drop offs and pick ups for my sister, doctors appointments, the pharmacy, the supermarket and simply being able to go out in the community or on adventures together,” Isabella posted on her gofundme page.
Lauren used her superannuation under compassionate medical grounds to buy an imported wheelchair car for Isabella when she was three years old but the car has become unreliable and unsafe.
“Every trip is now stressful because we never know if it will break down and it’s no longer safe for me to travel in my wheelchair inside the car at all anymore. This means my mum has to lift me in and out of the car and transfer me everywhere we go and now it feels like me and my chair don’t belong in the car at all anymore,” Isabella said.
“For me, a safe and reliable wheelchair vehicle isn’t just about transport – it’s about my freedom and being able to access my appointments, therapies, the community and just get out of the house.
“It means I’ll be able to keep joining in with the world around me, instead of missing out (I do already miss out on a lot).
“This car means that my Mum won’t have to lift and struggle with carrying me all the time or struggle with unsafe equipment. It means my mum won’t be stressed and worried and feel like she’s not doing ‘enough’. And it means that we can actually plan trips again, do things together, or even just go on simple outings without constant worry and anxiety.”
Isabella and her mum set up their page with the aim to raise $20,000 for a safe and reliable, wheelchair-accessible vehicle, an amount out of reach for Lauren.
Their goal was to reach local community businesses and kind-hearted people who could support Issy and her family during such a difficult and meaningful time in her life.
In an update last week Lauren said in what had been one of the tough days — “a long neuro appointment, endless injections, and confronting discussions and distressing decisions — we received an unexpected phone call that brought us to tears”.
They received the news that Smile for a Child Foundation and the Noosa Surf Club had united to each gift Issy $5,000 ($10,000 in total) towards her new wheelchair car.
“We are completely overwhelmed and beyond grateful,” said Lauren, who broke down in tears after hearing of the donation.
“What an incredible act of kindness and generosity from such wonderful humans who are choosing to make such a profound impact on Issy’s journey. This donation brings Issy another big step closer to achieving something that will completely change not only her life but her quality of life — giving her a sense of love and support, safety, reliability, and freedom.
“To everyone who has shared or donated – please know that we see you, we appreciate you, and you are changing Issy’s and our family’s lives. Every share and every dollar brings us closer and this is not an easy achievement.”
With their generous donation Isabella is only about $5000 short of reaching the family goal of $20,000 to buy their car.
To donate to the fundraiser, visit gofund. me/b4213b5ec
