Wigan family appeals for help to buy motorised wheelchair for disabled teen

Wiganers have been generously supporting a family’s quest to give their disabled son greater independence.
Thomas RobertsThomas Roberts
Thomas Roberts

Thomas Roberts, 13, has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a genetic disorder characterized by progressive muscle degeneration and weakness.

In just a few short years the Haigh teenager has, sadly, lost the ability to walk and struggles to move his arms, making it impossible for him to enjoy his favourite hobbies such as motor sports.

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But that could all change with the help of well-wishers who have been donating to a fund-raiser which, if successful, will provide Thomas with a state-of-the-art wheelchair and, subsequently, much more freedom than he can currently enjoy.

The Xtreme X8 is an all-terrain, motorised wheelchair which is ideal for outdoor adventurers and explorers.

And so far, more than £4,000 has been donated to the charity page, which has a £20,000 target.

On the Just Giving page set up to help cover the cost of the wheelchair, Thomas’s family said: “We are relying on the generosity of others to help us in raise enough money to buy the Xtreme X8, an all terrain wheelchair, which will allow Thomas, who is a brother-of-three, to enjoy his hobby in motor sports once again and have a small part of his independence back.

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“Thomas was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy at the age of two.

“Losing the ability to walk over the last few years, and more recently, losing the strength in his arms, has denied him the ability to ride his quad and his buggy.

“Thomas and his family have organised and taken part in various fund-raisers over the years to raise money for Duchenne Now, a charity which seeks to find a cure for this cruel disease.

“Now it’s our turn to raise some money for Thomas and give him a small piece of his life back.”

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To donate to the fund-raiser, visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/thomas-roberts-20

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