Hi, my name is Isabella, but everyone calls me Issy. I’m 10 years old and live with my mum Lauren and my little sister, Ohana.

I have dyskinetic spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy which means I can’t walk at all and I need a wheelchair to get around everywhere I go. I also have epilepsy, dislocated hips, scoliosis, severe dystonia, and an array of other associated conditions directly related to my brain injury.

That means my family and I rely on our car for everything - hospital appointments, specialist appointments, endless therapy appointments every week, school drop offs and pick ups for my sister, doctors appointments, the pharmacy, the supermarket and simply being able to go out in the community or on adventures together.

My Mum used her superannuation under compassionate medical grounds to buy an imported wheelchair car for me when I was 3 years old but right now… our car is almost 16 years old and it’s no longer safe for me, reliable, or even to the right standards, nor is it the right fit for my wheelchair anymore. Lately our car has been breaking down meaning that I am stuck at home because the wheelchair ramp won’t work and more recently my wheelchair even got stuck inside which meant I didn’t have my chair until it could be temporarily repaired and removed. Unfortunately, now again the ‘tie downs’ (this is what keeps my chair safely strapped in the car) have broken down again. Every trip is now stressful because we never know if it will break down and it’s no longer safe for me to travel in my wheelchair inside the car at all anymore. This means my mum has to lift me in and out of the car and transfer me everywhere we go and now it feels like me and my chair don’t belong in the car at all anymore.

Why This Car Matters -

For me, a safe and reliable wheelchair vehicle isn’t just about transport - it’s about my freedom and being able to access my appointments, therapies, the community and just get out of the house.

It means that -

• I’ll be able to get to my appointments without fear of breaking down or not being able to go at all or not be able to get my wheelchair in or out of the car.

• it means that I’ll be safe and comfortable traveling with my family for the first time in years (a family/second row conversion modification which is much safer) and where I will be able to sit next to my sister.

• It means my mum will be able to help me more easily without having to stop the car and get out (sometimes in the most difficult and dangerous places) if I need her.

• And most importantly, it means I’ll be able to keep joining in with the world around me, instead of missing out (I do already miss out on a lot).

• This car means that my Mum won’t have to lift and struggle with carrying me all the time or struggle with unsafe equipment. It means my mum won’t be stressed and worried and feel like she’s not doing ‘enough’. And it means that we can actually plan trips again, do things together, or even just go on simple outings without constant worry and anxiety.

• It is quite literally life changing for me and my family.

Community Support 

 • We are so lucky to have amazing people supporting us. A local charity called Surf For Kids is helping by organising three seperate fundraising events to make sure we can reach our goal and ensure that we get the best vehicle possible for my needs. Once we purchase the car, a professional disability conversion will be done so that it is perfectly suited and safe for me.

How You Can Help -

We’re raising $20’000 to purchase a safe and reliable, wheelchair-accessible vehicle. The cost is so much more than my Mum can manage on her own, but I know with your help, that we can make my dream of a new and safe wheelchair car a reality.

Every single donation - whether it’s big or small - is going to get me one step closer to travelling safely and being part of everyday life with my family again.

If you can’t donate right now, then even sharing this page with your friends, family, or community could help me and be just as powerful.

From Me (Issy) to You…I thank you. 

Thank you for reading my story and for caring. I really can’t wait for the day I can sit in my new wheelchair car next to my sister, knowing that I’m safe, and yell to my Mum;

“Let’s go!” and to “Change the music!”

As always, I’m truly grateful for your support, your help and your generosity. It really does mean the world to me (and to my Mum and my little sister too).

With Love ❤️, Issy x