- R
Hi, my name is Tess. I am 22 years old and have Cerebral Palsy. This means I use a motorised wheelchair, have very limited use of my hands and have a moderate to severe speech impediment. I am currently studying Social Work at Deakin University, and hope to become an advocate for people with disabilities who face the same discrimination and social inequalities as I do on a daily basis.
I currently live on my own in Melbourne. I receive 6 hours of care per day, in which time I need to be assisted with showering, dressing, grocery shopping, meal preparation, full eating assistance, washing, cleaning and other housework, as well as physical help with study, assignments and exams. As you can imagine, everything must be well ordered and structured to be fitted in!
In addition, I am no longer eligible for physiotherapy or hydrotherapy. As a consequence, I have lost a lot of physical ability I did have, and have been reduced to next-to-zero fitness levels. In turn, this has resulted in numerous falls and hospitalisations, as well as many episodes of passing out when I have been required to physically exert myself.
A few weeks ago, I was given the opportunity to try out a walking frame which provided the support I require to actually be able to walk. It was the best feeling to be able to get off my butt and work my body! If used regularly, the frame would be able to gradually restore my fitness level to a healthy point, increase my physical abilities and reduce the falls and fainting episodes that I experience. Of course, this beautiful piece of equipment does not come cheap, and I will have to privately pay a physiotherapist to set it up correctly, which is why I am asking for your assistance to allow me to walk.
Also, my university studies require a lot of working and typing on a computer. Currently, I use a pointer attached to my head to type which is very time consuming, and have great difficulty using a mouse. Luckily, technology steps in to save the day again, only at a price, again! The new touch-screen laptops work perfectly with my head-pointer, allowing what I need to do, to be done in half the time and with half the difficulty. Of course, these babies aren’t exactly kind on the wallet either.
If anybody would be generous enough to help out at all, I would be eternally grateful!
xx
I currently live on my own in Melbourne. I receive 6 hours of care per day, in which time I need to be assisted with showering, dressing, grocery shopping, meal preparation, full eating assistance, washing, cleaning and other housework, as well as physical help with study, assignments and exams. As you can imagine, everything must be well ordered and structured to be fitted in!
In addition, I am no longer eligible for physiotherapy or hydrotherapy. As a consequence, I have lost a lot of physical ability I did have, and have been reduced to next-to-zero fitness levels. In turn, this has resulted in numerous falls and hospitalisations, as well as many episodes of passing out when I have been required to physically exert myself.
A few weeks ago, I was given the opportunity to try out a walking frame which provided the support I require to actually be able to walk. It was the best feeling to be able to get off my butt and work my body! If used regularly, the frame would be able to gradually restore my fitness level to a healthy point, increase my physical abilities and reduce the falls and fainting episodes that I experience. Of course, this beautiful piece of equipment does not come cheap, and I will have to privately pay a physiotherapist to set it up correctly, which is why I am asking for your assistance to allow me to walk.
Also, my university studies require a lot of working and typing on a computer. Currently, I use a pointer attached to my head to type which is very time consuming, and have great difficulty using a mouse. Luckily, technology steps in to save the day again, only at a price, again! The new touch-screen laptops work perfectly with my head-pointer, allowing what I need to do, to be done in half the time and with half the difficulty. Of course, these babies aren’t exactly kind on the wallet either.
If anybody would be generous enough to help out at all, I would be eternally grateful!
xx