Help Ollie get a much needed wheelchair!

Oliver, 13, has Perthes Disease (Legg-Calve-Perthes). His symptoms began in 2018 at the age of 7 years, however he was not diagnosed until late January 2019 and was immediately placed on weight-bearing restrictions.

Like many children with Perthes, Ollie’s initial treatment involved 1-2 years of restricted/modified activity and pain relief as needed, however his progression through the various stages of Perthes Disease has been more difficult than anticipated.

Since diagnosis, more than five years ago, Ollie has required the ongoing use of crutches and a wheelchair. He has had two cortisone injections in his hip, three hospital stays for traction (72 hours each time), a femoral osteotomy (August 2023), multiple emergency presentations to help manage extreme ongoing pain and daily pain medications.

He is under the care of an Orthopaedic and Complex Pain specialists.

The family did not anticipate Ollie’s disease to impact his life or their family as severely as it has for as long as it has, nor did they foresee how dependent Ollie would become on using a wheelchair.

Before diagnosis, Ollie was a confident and active boy, with a wide group of friends. He attended school regularly, participated in extra-curricular activities, community sport and played with his older brother.

During early stages of the disease, Ollie found it difficult to manage weight-bearing restrictions, despite the pain. He became isolated from friends, either because of the activities they were involved in (namely sport, outdoor activities, birthday parties, etc) or because they weren’t sure how to treat him and his friends stopped including him.

Ollie’s family sought alternatives to re-engage Oliver in sports and social activities, including membership with Rebound WA and a local tennis club’s accessible program. These networks have been a tremendous source of support for both him and his family.

Ollie is a fantastic tennis player and was recently invited to Melbourne to play with other junior wheelchair players thanks to funding from Tennis Australia. However, he doesn't have a sports chair to allow him to continue. Assistance to get him a chair to enable him to train would open up an entire new world. Being unable to run and play with the other children in his year group, tennis has been an amazing outlet for Ollie, and encouraging his passions to allow him to prove to the world that his disability does not define him, is a goal we are set to achieve.

Since Ollie’s diagnosis, his dedicated parents have reduced their work hours to manage school drop off and pick up, as after-school care was not an option and support via extended family or outside the family has been limited. As you can imagine there has been a financial impact as a result, along with the costs of his ongoing therapies.

Since transitioning to high school in 2023, Ollie has experienced daily issues with severe pain and extreme discomfort from sitting in his current wheelchair, a second-hand chair designed for someone else.

He has previously used an ex-hire paediatric wheelchair. This ‘push’ wheelchair is damaged beyond repair. It does not have functioning brakes, has a damaged seat, armrests and wheels and is too heavy for him to push himself around school.

Last year Ollie was gifted a lighter wheelchair by another Perthes family in WA, however this has become too small and painful to use for extended periods as it is not made for Ollie's body. It is also a safety risk, as the chair does not have anti-tippers and Ollie has hurt himself falling backwards by accident or because other students have tipped him out.

The latter has been part of an ongoing issue with bullying, which have worsened at high school and negatively impact Ollie's mental health and social wellbeing.

Financial assistance would also assist with daily supports such as allowing Ollie to access home amenities safely and comfortably, while more targeted physical therapy would support him to become physically stronger, which will have a positive impact on his mental and social health.

We are seeking any assistance, big or small to help us get Ollie one of his much needed chairs and help to support his dreams of one day playing tennis to represent his state or even Country. Financial assistance to allow the family to put in daily supports for him is crucial, as you can imagine it is an extensive process to get Government assistance.

Thank you kindly for your love and support towards Ollie and his family. It would mean the world if you could please share this within your networks to assist the family. Thank you.