Help Harrison experience a 4 night Disney Cruise

Hi my name is Linda.

Chris and I are parents to two great kids, Grace and Harrison.

Harrison, aged 10, lives with a fatal form of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. He is also experiencing this muscle wasting condition at a faster rate than average. Harrison is unable to walk, dependant on his wheelchair and also on carers 24/7 for most of his needs. He is still a happy and lively boy who enjoys life. The life expectancy of someone living with Duchenne is late teens but hopefully longer. Harrison doesn't seem to fit into the average of this condition.

Harrison is restricted to where he can go and what he can do due to his condition and now also significantly impacted by the cost of living situation we are all going through.

Before things got really tough we reserved tickets on the Disney Cruise coming to Australia this December. We put down a deposit. We have been dealing with the wonderful people at Disney Cruise Lines who have reserved a disability room for us this December on a 4 night cruise. My husband and I have spent many hours arranging hiring the various pieces of disability equipment he would need (hospital bed, hoist etc). There has been a lot to arrange.

We are unable to take carers with us and my husband and I have worked out taking turns in the overnight monitoring, turning and care he would need throughout the night. It will be a tag-team situation and finding a balance for our daughter as well.

This wonderful dream holiday is becoming hard to achieve now due to the cost of living crisis. It has been something we have looked forward to on some quite dark days and big challenges Harrison has been through this year alone.

This is probably this last big thing we're going to do as a family and the idea it's fading is hard to bear.

It's hard to ask for help. I wish I didn't have to. I don't do it lightly but this break would mean the world to us.