Just over a year ago, at age 16, Bodhi was attending college, volunteering with the SES, learning to drive, socialising and sleeping independently for the first time in his life.

Today, his mum has to physically bring food and water to him because his illness and overwhelming fear prevent him from reaching for it himself.

He is terrified of swallowing.

He is so frightened of choking that instead of swallowing his own saliva, he spits it out — over and over, all day.

Elizabeth helps him eat and drink.

She helps him shower, dress and manage toileting.

She talks him through constant and relentless fear and distress.

At night, she sleeps in his room because he needs her reassurance to feel safe enough to sleep.

She is beside him day in day out, they have been practically housebound for 14 months.

This is the reality of what has happened to Bodhi.

And his mum cannot keep doing this alone.

Just over a year ago, their lives looked completely different…

At 16, after years of challenges associated with autism, OCD and severe anxiety, Bodhi entered the best period of his life.

He was attending community college, volunteering with the local SES, learning to drive, socialising, and for the first time in his life, he was sleeping independently.

Elizabeth could finally see her son beginning to build a life of his own.

And after years devoted to caring for him, she was beginning to rebuild hers.

Then, at 17, everything collapsed.

His extreme fear of swallowing and choking returned with a severity Elizabeth had never seen before.

Eating and drinking became extremely limited.

College stopped.

SES stopped.

Driving stopped.

Socialising stopped.

His independence disappeared.

There have since been hospital presentations, dehydration and nutritional concerns, severe OCD and anxiety, extreme dysregulation and an extraordinary loss of function.

So what happened to Bodhi?

Bodhi’s medical team is now investigating and treating him in the context of PANS/PANDAS.

PANS/PANDAS describes an abrupt or dramatic onset of neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with immune and, in some cases, infectious triggers.

For families experiencing it, those words on a page don’t begin to describe what it can look like.

For Bodhi, it has meant watching a young man who was beginning to participate in the world become completely dependent on his mother again.

Elizabeth has spent years trying to understand why.

She has pursued doctors, specialists, investigations and treatment protocols and spent an enormous amount of money — including an inheritance from her grandmother — trying to help her son.

Accessing specialised investigation and treatment in Australia has been extraordinarily difficult.

And the money has run out long before the options have.

Now there may be another pathway

Elizabeth has recently consulted with the head doctor of a specialist clinic in Mexico that treats complex cases such as Bodhi’s.

A family personally known to us travelled there with their teenage daughter, and I have personally witnessed the improvement she experienced following treatment.

After discussing Bodhi’s history directly with the doctor, Elizabeth came away feeling for the first time in a long time that there may be another avenue worth pursuing.

The clinic is now reviewing Bodhi’s extensive medical history and laboratory results.

Initial discussions indicate that treatment could involve approximately three to four weeks in Mexico, with treatment six days a week.

This will not be an easy undertaking.

Bodhi struggles enormously with unfamiliar environments and requires extensive support from Elizabeth. Taking him overseas for weeks of intensive treatment will be physically and emotionally demanding.

Elizabeth is already profoundly burnt out.

She cannot realistically do this alone.

Our hope is therefore to raise enough for a trusted support person to accompany them if treatment proceeds.

And Mexico isn’t the only expense

Bodhi currently needs approximately $10,000 of specialised dental treatment under general anaesthetic.

There are overseas laboratory investigations his family has been advised to pursue.

There are expensive clinician-guided treatments that could potentially be undertaken from Australia.

And if Mexico proceeds, there will be treatment costs, flights, accommodation, living expenses and the cost of maintaining things at home while they are away.

We are still waiting for the clinic’s formal treatment plan and final costs.

But we don’t want to wait until every dollar has been calculated before beginning to help.

Because Elizabeth has already spent almost everything she had getting Bodhi this far.

Who is Elizabeth?

I’ve known Elizabeth for more than 10 years.

She is normally the person helping everyone else.

When Bodhi became unable to attend school at nine, she became his full-time carer, advocate, researcher and safe person.

I have personally witnessed her extraordinary patience, intelligence and dedication.

I’ve watched her sacrifice her career, finances, freedom and enormous parts of her own life because her son needed her.

During this latest crisis, significant mould was discovered in Bodhi’s bedroom. His room had to be torn apart, remediated and completely rebuilt while Elizabeth simultaneously paid for alternative accommodation.

At the same time, Bodhi’s need for constant care meant she could no longer work.

She is now trying to support them on a carer’s payment.

She has carried this for an extraordinarily long time.

I don’t believe she can carry the next part alone.

What are we asking for?

We’re asking you to help give Bodhi options.

This fundraiser isn’t a promise that one treatment will cure him.

It’s something much more practical:

When a doctor recommends the next investigation or treatment, we want Elizabeth to be able to ask:

“Is this right for Bodhi?”

Instead of:

“How could I possibly afford it?”

Funds may contribute to:

• Specialist consultations and medical investigations

• Overseas laboratory testing

• Clinician-guided treatment

• Approximately $10,000 of dental treatment under general anaesthetic

• Potential treatment in Mexico

• Flights and accommodation for Bodhi, Elizabeth and a support person if required

• Living expenses while they are overseas

• Other medical and care needs as Bodhi’s treatment pathway develops

I pray this reaches the right people.

Because somewhere beyond our immediate circle may be someone who can help us get this young man to the next stage of care.

If you can donate, thank you.

If you can’t, please share Bodhi’s story.

Just over a year ago he was going to college, volunteering, learning to drive and beginning his adult life.

Today his mum helps him through every part of his day.

We want to help Bodhi get his life back.

And after watching Elizabeth carry him for so long, I want her to know that she doesn’t have to carry this next part alone. ❤️

I will keep this page updated as Bodhi’s treatment plan develops.