Lifting Up: How a Ceiling Hoist Helped A Child and Started A Charity Partnership
Recently, the LiftAbility team had the opportunity to witness the transformative power of community helping the lives of children with disabilities and illnesses.
We were approached by a family to install a ceiling hoist system to link the bedroom and bathroom together in their home, to assist their young son who has a rare degenerative illness.
For the child and his family, the ceiling hoist would provide a level of independence and freedom as it allows the child to move around his home and participate in everyday activities, with greater ease and confidence. Additionally, the hoist reduces the physical strain on his parents and caregivers, allowing them to provide better care for their son.
This particular illness is classified as rare as there is less than one person in 10.000 to have the condition. These illnesses can have a profound impact on a child's physical and emotional well-being, as well as their ability to participate in activities, therefore access to quality hoists and equipment is crucial to their everyday life.
Our client is the father of the child and when he contacted LiftAbility, his son had been regularly in and out of hospital. Then the NDIS withdrew their funding for the ceiling hoist, which left the family physically moving their son from room to room, an exhausting feat for anyone.
Knowing they needed to have the ceiling hoist as a crucial part of caring for his son, the client contacted the Steve Waugh Foundation, a charity with the mission of improving the lives of children with rare diseases.
The foundation provides financial assistance for medical equipment and treatment, as well as emotional support and advocacy services for families. Additionally, the foundation works to raise awareness about rare diseases and the impact they have on children and families.
Our client secured funding for the ceiling hoist valued at $18,000 from the Steve Waugh Foundation, and then contacted LiftAbility’s Project Manager, Martin, to arrange the installation.
Upon hearing of the clients challenges to date, Martin also upgraded the ceiling hoist so it included propulsion valued at $4,000, and donated a floor hoist for the child’s care valued at $6,000, on behalf of LiftAbility. Floor hoists are ideal for travel and for a young child, this has given him more freedom for when the family are on the road.
Inspired by the generosity of the Steve Waugh Foundation, Martin then contacted the charity with the idea of arranging a golf charity day to raise funds and awareness. The charity golf day event is currently being planned for 2023, and more details will follow. LiftAbility has also chosen the Steve Waugh Foundation to be their preferred charity partner and looks forward to many more opportunities to support disabled children and their families.
It is vitally important to raise awareness about the needs of disabled children and support charities that are working to improve their lives.
By working together, we can create a more inclusive and supportive world for all children, regardless of their abilities.