Help disabled man achieve his dream

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My name is Tom. I am writing this as I am trying to help a disabled friend achieve his music related dream whilst he still can. I am writing to ask if you can help with this.

My friend is called Darren. I have known him for several years. He is physically disabled. He has a number of conditions, including CMT (peroneal muscular atrophy) and several oedemas.

Darren is married and has children. However, he is now unable to work due to his disability, and his wife is his full-time carer.

Darren has always been musical, playing keyboards and guitar since a very young age.

However, after leaving college, work took over and music was forced to take a backseat. Darren's priority was always work and family, ensuring he was bringing home the bread and putting his wife and children before himself.

Sadly, over time, his disability got worse. His condition is a progressive one. He had to cut back on the hours he could work and focus on making sure his family had enough income.

Eventually, however, his disability got so bad that he had to give up work completely, and his wife became his carer.

Darren's disability had mainly affected his legs and feet. In recent years, though, the condition has started to affect his hands and lower arms.

He had wanted to get back into music, at least as a hobby, and therefore did keep his interest up. However, he was never in a position where he could buy instruments or equipment, as paying the bills and family always came before his own needs.

Unfortunately, after Darren could no longer work - and with his wife being his carer too - he lost everything he had worked so hard for. They exhausted their savings and had to sell their car and lost their house, just in order to survive. That also meant none of life's little luxuries and no family holidays. They have not been away for years. Now, they are dependent on a small fixed income, with little hope of that changing, as Darren will always now need care.

Darren wants to write and record some songs and music. He wants to do this and share this (via the internet). However, he also wants to write and record some songs for his family. He wants to write a song for his late sister (who died very young), and songs that his wife and children can remember him by in years to come.

But Darren is up against time. His condition is worsening and affecting his hands more. The prognosis means that he probably has only 2-3 years to be able to play guitar or keyboards and be well enough to do this. Time is against him, which is why I am so keen to help him try to achieve this goal.

Initially, I was hoping to get Darren some studio time in a studio. However, this is logistically very hard because Darren's condition fluctuates daily and even throughout the course of a day. As a result, it is hard for him to make arrangements he can stick to. He even misses certain clinic appointments sometimes if his condition is bad on a given day.

Darren's condition also means that his muscles tire very easily. So, for example, he may only be able to record a piano part for a verse on one day, and have to wait until later that day or the next day to play/record again.

There's also the problem of transport, access and managing inside somewhere. Darren can't travel long distances without becoming tired.

Given all this, a small home studio seems to be his best option and chance.

I am writing to you to ask for your help.

If you are reading this, please share or retweet.

I am seeking donations in order to buy an instrument, equipment and software OR donations of such items themselves.

I am doing this for Darren as a friend, and I want nothing in return myself but to see him fulfill his dream, and hopefully listen to something he has written on my CD player at home.

If you can help in any way on this, you will be doing something wonderful for a disabled man and his family. I know Darren would be eternally grateful.

Thank you for your time in reading this.

Best wishes,
Tom

Hi. My name is Tom. I am writing this as I am trying to help a disabled friend achieve his music related dream whilst he still can. I am writing to ask if you can help with this.

My friend is called Darren. I have known him for several years. He is physically disabled. He has a number of conditions, including CMT (peroneal muscular atrophy) and several oedemas.

Darren is married and has children. However, he is now unable to work due to his disability, and his wife is his full-time carer.

Darren has always been musical, playing keyboards and guitar since a very young age.

However, after leaving college, work took over and music was forced to take a backseat. Darren's priority was always work and family, ensuring he was bringing home the bread and putting his wife and children before himself.

Sadly, over time, his disability got worse. His condition is a progressive one. He had to cut back on the hours he could work and focus on making sure his family had enough income.

Eventually, however, his disability got so bad that he had to give up work completely, and his wife became his carer.

Darren's disability had mainly affected his legs and feet. In recent years, though, the condition has started to affect his hands and lower arms.

He had wanted to get back into music, at least as a hobby, and therefore did keep his interest up. However, he was never in a position where he could buy instruments or equipment, as paying the bills and family always came before his own needs.

Unfortunately, after Darren could no longer work - and with his wife being his carer too - he lost everything he had worked so hard for. They exhausted their savings and had to sell their car and lost their house, just in order to survive. That also meant none of life's little luxuries and no family holidays. They have not been away for years. Now, they are dependent on a small fixed income, with little hope of that changing, as Darren will always now need care.

Darren wants to write and record some songs and music. He wants to do this and share this (via the internet). However, he also wants to write and record some songs for his family. He wants to write a song for his late sister (who died very young), and songs that his wife and children can remember him by in years to come.

But Darren is up against time. His condition is worsening and affecting his hands more. The prognosis means that he probably has only 2-3 years to be able to play guitar or keyboards and be well enough to do this. Time is against him, which is why I am so keen to help him try to achieve this goal.

Initially, I was hoping to get Darren some studio time in a studio. However, this is logistically very hard because Darren's condition fluctuates daily and even throughout the course of a day. As a result, it is hard for him to make arrangements he can stick to. He even misses certain clinic appointments sometimes if his condition is bad on a given day.

Darren's condition also means that his muscles tire very easily. So, for example, he may only be able to record a piano part for a verse on one day, and have to wait until later that day or the next day to play/record again.

There's also the problem of transport, access and managing inside somewhere. Darren can't travel long distances without becoming tired.

Given all this, a small home studio seems to be his best option and chance.

I am writing to you to ask for your help.

If you are reading this, please share or retweet.

I am seeking donations in order to buy an instrument, equipment and software OR donations of such items themselves.

I am doing this for Darren as a friend, and I want nothing in return myself but to see him fulfill his dream, and hopefully listen to something he has written on my CD player at home.

If you can help in any way on this, you will be doing something wonderful for a disabled man and his family. I know Darren would be eternally grateful.

Thank you for your time in reading this.

Best wishes,
Tom