Summer Appeal 2011

We need your help to raise $76,000 towards Northcott’s Regional Customised Equipment Clinics

Are you sitting comfortably?

There are thousands of people in NSW who would love to swap seats with you. This includes children like Zadok.

Zadok is an 11 year-old boy whose favourite superhero is Batman, he loves listening to music, watching wrestling and cheering on his rugby league team, the Broncos. Zadok also needs to use a wheelchair. He needs a wheelchair with customised seating so that he can be mobile and comfortable.

In order to get this customised seating, children like Zadok can experience a long wait to attend a clinic or they have to travel a long way to attend a Regional Customised Equipment Clinic. Either way it can be incredibly uncomfortable for Zadok. More than that it means that he is restricted with many of the things he wants to do. Like go to school with his friends.

When we first met 11 year-old Zadok he was listening to music on his iPod and chatting with his dad about his rugby team, the Broncos. He is just like any other 11 year-old boy. The only thing that makes Zadok different is a condition with which he was born called ‘Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita’.

This debilitating condition, affects Zadok’s joints throughout his body, which are thickened and do not allow him a full range of movement.  A wheelchair with customised seating is vital to ensure Zadok is comfortable and also mobile with his day to day activities.

What is a Regional Customised Equipment Clinic?

Our regional customised equipment clinics provides trained therapists to carry out an assessment which includes the measurement and fitting of specialised wheelchair seating like the one that Zadok needs.

Sadly, for people with disabilities who live in regional areas of NSW, access to clinical therapists who can carry out such assessments is difficult. As a result, children like Zadok and his family could rely on our travelling clinics as it reduces the stress on families who would otherwise have to travel to metropolitan areas for treatment.

Imagine if a child you knew was unable to be comfortable with day-to-day activities for such lengthy periods or having their mobility or independence restricted. Imagine they had to wait up to six to eight months, or in some cases, up to two years to receive their specialised equipment. This delay would affect their ability to go to school, play with their friends and family.

Zadok’s wait to be mobile and comfortable is nearly over!

Zadok’s Dad Joe explains Zadok’s current situation:

"Zadok has been in his current wheelchair for six years now and he really needs a new wheelchair with customised seating so his body is properly supported. Thanks to Northcott, Zadok has had an assessment for customised seating and is now waiting for his wheelchair; the Northcott team will then be able to make a customised seat for him. We’re hoping it will arrive in time for him to start high school in January, Zadok will then be comfortable and properly mobile and independent in his new chair."

Zadok is lucky, thanks to the support of our generous donors like you, he has had an assessment and will soon be receiving his much needed customised seating.  But there are many more children just like Zadok who urgently need this type of support too.

What your generous donation will do:

• $25 – will support Zadok’s therapist to carry out his assessment
• $55 – will help Zadok’s therapist to travel out to assess and measure children like him for their customised seating
• $100 – will support the specialist assessment clinics to run in four regional areas in rural NSW

With your help this Christmas, we can ensure that we provide even more support to people with mobility needs and provide access to equipment solution clinics, enabling them to use the right equipment to increase their mobility, independence and greatly improve their quality of life.

How to make your generous gift:

Or you can phone 02 9890 0509 and Northcott’s Donor Care team will take your donation over the phone.