Bowen, 12, is in need of a vehicle upgrade to keep him on the move.
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A carer is raising funds for a Leitchville boy with a rare degenerative disease, offering a boost to his mobility and quality of life.
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Bowen, 12, was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which affects muscle strength and bulk, at a young age.
The incurable disease progresses over time to affect all muscles in the body, according to the Royal Children’s Hospital.
A student at Cohuna Consolidated School, Bowen is looked after throughout the week by his carer, Naomi Tatt.
“I actually started working at the school with Bowen when he was in Prep ... and he could run and everything, like all the other kids,” Ms Tatt said.
“Now he can’t even stand.”
Bowen pictured with school cleaner Karl Johnson.
Bowen uses a power wheelchair for mobility, which is set to be replaced by a more suitable model in the coming weeks after a year-long wait.
While it’s a welcome upgrade, the new model will require a modified car to transport him.
“At the moment we can lift this chair in and out of the vehicle. (The new) one will not be possible to lift,” Ms Tatt said.
As the current car Bowen is transported in cannot be modified, Ms Tatt decided to create a GoFundMe to raise money for the purchase of an appropriate vehicle.
“A vehicle that’s already adjusted would be absolutely perfect, a second-hand one,” Ms Tatt said.
Bowen pictured with Ms Tatt’s grandson, Nash, whom he is very fond of.
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Bowen is driven to school each weekday, as buses in the area can’t accommodate for his chair, visits Echuca twice per week for hydrotherapy and makes frequent trips to Melbourne for medical appointments.
He is known as a bubbly and social child, and Ms Tatt said she wanted to see Bowen keep on the move.
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