By Hollie Harris
Owning a car has brought Rachael Henson the independence she has been dreaming of for the past 20 years.
Making the Tewantin resident’s dream come true even more special was the role the community played in its realisation.
Rachael, 28, who has cerebral palsy, was eight-years-old when the idea of a car first surfaced.
Her carer Nikki Hill said it would have been about the time it started to become more difficult for her mum and dad to lift her in and out of the car.
Rachael is wheelchair-bound. She has an electric wheelchair which gives her an amount of independence but was reliant on taxis, buses or private cars which meant leaving her electric wheelchair behind.
Now she can drive her chair into her own Toyota Noah and be driven by her carer to any chosen destination.
“It’s already changing her life,” Nikki said.
“She’s so happy and so grateful to the community.
“She’s been out and about, visiting her grandma, her mum and dad, to the hinterland and going to different places she hasn’t been.”
Rachael has a list of destinations lined up including a trip to the Sunshine Plaza at Maroochydore and to see a musical in Brisbane.
“It’s been amazing,” Rachael said.
In April last year a fund-raising campaign involving many in the community began to get Rachael a car.
A gofundme page titled Freedom Wheels was set up, as was a Sunshine Butterflies personal fund-raising page.
The Tewantin-Noosa RSL gave her $5000 and assisted in helping her source the vehicle, Tewantin-Noosa Lions Club held a fund-raising night, Noosa Civic held a fund-raiser and Noosa Today highlighted her campaign.
