Support For Janet & Her Family (Medical Costs)

My beautiful friend Janet and her loving family including her husband, Eric, daughter, Zoe, and baby due in late June, are in need of some support during a difficult financial situation.

With $40K of medical debt and change in their NDIS funding, it has put a lot of pressure on their family and crucial care Eric requires being quadriplegic, which has been denied. We have a big target, but even if it's not reached it would be amazing to try and assist this kind family, every donation helps no matter how small.

All funds from this fundraiser (minus website fees), will be given directly to Janet to assist paying off their debt, and if any additional funds are raised it will assist them on buying a new vehicle to support 2 baby carseats, wheelchair and accessibility.

More about their story from Janet:

“Hi Im Janet proud wife and carer of Eric, mum of a gorgeous 2yr old and expecting our 2nd in a few weeks. Back in oct 2023 Eric got a pressure wound unfortunately common for quads, we fought for over 12mths Fiona Stanley and royal Perth who refused hospital admission contrary to multiple senior plastic surgeons recommendations that it would never heal without corrective surgery. Finally January 2025 our wonderful local MP helped us get the required surgery and for the first time since her 1st birthday daddy was finally out of bed to play with his 2.5yr old daughter. Healed in a record 43 days despite removing bone, moving tendons and 73 staples and over 20 stitches later.

 

While waiting for surgery to be approved for Eric, we repeatedly applied for additional funding through change of circumstances applications to the NDIS as actively managing open pressure wounds at home requires extra nursing care as well as enormous quantities of expensive specialised dressings. The NDIS ignored all requests for additional funding to meet Eric’s change in circumstances and downgraded his funding to low intensity – low intensity funding does not include crucial care needs for a quadriplegic including toileting and medicines. So despite suffering hyperemisis, caring for a 2yr old, coordinating care for an elderly mother these responsibilities fell to me... plus the bills for 4 months care before we realised they changed the legislation. For several periods of time, we received no funding at all. These issues have resulted in us having over $40 000 debt from nursing care, support workers, wound dressings and the plethora of other medical equipment that allows Eric to live with dignity and purpose.

 

Eric and I have begged the NDIS to cover Eric’s unavoidable costs from this period of time through multiple written complaints and applications. We’ve written to multiple Federal Government Ministers asking for special consideration and for them to advocate for us. We’ve even contacted multiple media outlets with no response. Unfortunately, no one gives a damn. We know that there are many in worse situations than us so do not like asking. We are very fortunate to have support from surgeons and our local mp to get the lifesaving surgery Eric needed. When sadly I know that many others are still waiting or didn't make it. wounds while the various hospitals and agencies refused to treat Eric for what could have become a life ending.

 

If by a miracle the debts can be cleared, any additional money will go into a fund to save up for a wheelchair accessible vehicle. Our current one purchased over 16yrs ago is unfortunately literally falling apart (yep bits fall off!) the biggest issue no air con which for a quad who has no thermo-regulation (body temperature control) can be deadly (faint, autonomic dysreflexia - stroke, or heart attack) and safety features no longer up to code. Trying to fit two car seats in safely plus a large wheelchair is challenging! We also can't get any carers to drive it.

Please don't leave yourself short but know that every little bit is very humbly and gratefully received.”