Dexter's Wish List
Dexter needs a lot. To donate to Dexter, email [email protected] and ask for details.
Every dollar donated to Dexter is spent on Dexter. Thank you xxx
Thank you to everyone who has helped Dexter!
Your kindness and generous support makes a huge difference in our lives!
Approximately $2000 gets Dexter one fortnightly hour of physiotherapy sessions for a year.
Every dollar donated to Dexter is spent on Dexter. Thank you xxx
Thank you to everyone who has helped Dexter!
Your kindness and generous support makes a huge difference in our lives!
Approximately $2000 gets Dexter one fortnightly hour of physiotherapy sessions for a year.
We've been able to purchase so many important pieces of equipment, resources and therapies for Dexter. Cerebral palsy is expensive, but we have a great community.
Wish List - In No Particular Order
You can click on the pictures or links to read more.
A Birds' Nest Swing - These are the round, mesh swings. Dexter could lie on this, and use it to swing. Or, he could have his own
High-Backed Swing, so he can continue to enjoy the backyard swings, with his sisters. He needs additional torso support, and can no longer swing safely without extra support. Or, these could be added, to his local park, where other children could also use them. Cost - unsure |
Wheelchair Snow Skiing - Why not?!
Imagine how fun that would be!
Imagine how fun that would be!
Cargo Bike
Thanks to TAD NSW, the Minnamurra Lions Club and us, Dexter has a bike! For a family ride, we would need something like this. We'd need a second ('ordinary') bike for family rides, and helmets. (Frank Mobility) |
Not sure, yet.
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AFO / Ankle-Foot Orthosis - Dexter's AFOs are custom-made devices that support and control the movement of his foot and ankle. He uses them when he is in his standing frame. **ongoing, latest in December 2013
|
funded
(Dexter will need new AFOs every year.) |
Physiotherapy - Dexter's currently receiving excellent physiotherapy from Zoe. She sees him fortnightly and does an amazing job. Dexter would benefit from additional therapy time. **Ongoing
(Following Dexter's femoral osteotomy surgery, Dexter is needing weekly, then twice weekly physiotherapy, to help him regain his muscle strength. The surgery and recovery set Dexter back 18 months in his development.) Fortnightly physiotherapy costs about $2000 for a year. |
Approx $140 an hour
|
A Hydrotherapy Pool - Being unable to walk, hydrotherapy is an excellent form of exercise, for Dexter. He loves the water, and it helps develop and strengthen his muscles. His cerebral palsy means he needs heated pools, as his muscles quickly become cold. A big dream would be to have a hydrotherapy pool in the backyard, where we could access it regularly.
|
Cost - Unsure
$35,000, plus pump, heating, decking |
A canoe/raft/paddle board
Dexter loves the water. He loved his days on the paddle board, so we would love to get him some kind of board or boat, so we can take him out on the water. |
Unsure
|
Eyegaze System
Dexter is non-verbal at the moment, but is developing some words. He needs to communicate through a communication device. He has trialled two eye gaze systems and we hope to get him one. With the eye gaze, he controls an ipad using his eyes. See Dexter at work here. |
cost unsure |
This is what was on the list, and Dexter now has:
Wheelchair
Once, the word 'wheelchair' had us shuddering and cowering with dread and fear. We got funding for his first wheelchair. ~ $13,500 |
House Renovations (Read House Modifications)
We modified Dexter's home, making it wheelchair friendly. We are almost finished. Read all about it, and see the photos on the Doing it for Dexter blog. |
A Beach Wheelchair
Dexter was given a beach wheelchair! Thank you! He's three, and this will be his first swimming/beach summer, after chemotherapy and his hip adduction stopping him from swimming his first two summers. Read about the One Fitness 24/7 Beach Wheelchair here. (Read about Dexter's fun day in a beach buggy here.) |
~$4250 |
A Van - We bought a van, which, when Dexter has a wheelchair, will be modified to accommodate him and his chair. A swivel seat for Dexter would be ideal, as it's becoming difficult to put him into his seat, and it often hurts our backs as we lift and turn him. We're not sure how much the modifications will cost. Thousands!
Toilet Seat - Shower Seat
Lenice needed to sit with Dexter, supporting him while he used the toilet. He very quickly learned to use the toilet for his bowels. Her back was suffering and he needed a toileting chair. We got one from the PME company. (Delivered 29/7/14) (Read more here) (See Dexter in the toilet seat here) |
~ $3400 |
Hoists -
As Dexter gets older, he will get heavier. There's a good chance he will need ceiling hoists to help him get in in and out of bed and in and out of the shower, and out of the car. There are ceiling hoists, which can be built in, and mobile hoists, which could be used outside of the house. Arrived July 2014 |
Enable funding
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Adelaide Therapy - Conductive Education Therapy
This is 4 weeks of therapy: "a holistic approach, focusing on the skills needed to become more independent. It combines medical knowledge and educational methods to enable individuals to learn how to gain control of motor functions." Read more here, here, here, here & here. |
Approx $3000
& ~$3000 for accommodation |
Firefly GoTo Seat
This is a supportive 'seat', which would allow Dexter to sit in swings, in shopping trolleys, and at the dining room table! It’s flexibility of design allows GoTo to be fitted safely to any standard dining chair, supermarket trolley or bicycle seat. With GoTo, you can go do anything! See it here! |
About $260 Donated! Thank you! |
High/Low Chair - Being unable to feed himself, Dexter will most likely need a high chair for some time. He needs support and cannot sit on a regular chair. The High/Low chair is height adjustable, allowing Dexter to be close to others, whether they are on the ground or at a table.
Read more about the chair here. (See the Leckey website here.) |
$8,905
delivered 31/3/14 |
The Floor Surfer is a roller board for play and therapy.
It's for play develops motor skills. Bought by a lovely friend! Thank you! For fun, we push Dexter around, chasing after his sister. We could never do that before getting this! Delivered 17/2/14 (Read more here) |
~$200 (Gift)
|
Specialised Bed
Dexter will need a bed that can be height adjusted to make it easier for him to be helped in to and out of. In this, his head and feet can be elevated and there are rails along the sides. He will be able to use his sleep-form mattress in this bed. (Read more here) Delivered 12/2/14 |
Funding approved
(Enable) |
Surfing (Disabled Surfing Assoc.)
We got Dexter a year's membership. The DSA website is fantastic - check it out for more information. **Had our first surf in April 2014! Read about it here. |
A bike
All boys need a bike. Dexter was presented with this bike as his Christmas present. We will share the details of how this was bought/provided soon. Thank you TAD and Minnamurra Lions Club. Seeing Dexter on his bike brought an incredible smile! (Read more) Additional costs - $800 from Lions Club, & volunteer work from TAD |
Delivered 5/12/13
$200 from us |
Sleepform mattress - This will keep his legs in the right position so hard work done during the day isn't undone. He will need it post surgery and it will be good to help him prepare for surgery. (Read more here) (A Leckey product)
|
$3666
Thanks Melissa. |
Mobility Walker - to allow Dexter to walk independently. He trialed one in May 2013 and took his first steps. Watch those steps here. (Watch Dexter's dash for the beach in his walker here.)
An anonymous friend bought Dexter a mobility walker! Thank you! |
$4000
Anonymous donation |
Standing Frame - Dexter is too tall for the one he's using now. He needs this to improve bone density and muscle development. He currently spends 90 mins a day in a standing frame. (Read more and see a photo here) (From the company Leckey - visit webpage here)
Dexter won a $5000 grant, which will covered most of the cost. Thanks voters! $1200 was donated by Kiama Lions Club. Thank you! |
$6200
|
Little Room - This is wooden box, which fitted out with light and noise making items. This helps to promote visual stimulation.
(See the Little Room and read about it here) Thanks Uncle Rik for making this, & for Mum, for buying the things inside it! |
Thera-togs - These 'switch on' Dexter's muscles, teaching him to use them. He has been making incredible progress with his crawling! Thanks Karen and Jeff Toms. (Watch me and read about the theratogs here)
A generous donation! Thank you! |
$500
Thanks Karen |
In November 2013, Melissa Tierney held a fundraiser and raised $10,000. Thank you, Melissa! (Therapy in Adelaide, sleepform mattress & a bike (modifications paid for by the Minnamurra Lions Club and the bike was made by TAD NSW).
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Brewing it for Dexter - The Brooding Italian cafe in Kiama raised $2586.35, enough money to fund fortnightly physiotherapy sessions for Dexter, for one year.
Therapy will be one hour sessions, with the highly regarded physiotherapist Zoe Atkinson. |
The Clarke family 2013 Christmas light display raised $2000. The Minnamurra Lions Club raised $5500 from a Christmas 2013 raffle. We scraped together about $1,500 in donations for Dexter. We got a MYGO high lo chair for $8,900.
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Thanks to the PT Cruiser Downunder (NSW) Inc Club for raising $1,700 for Dexter in April 2014.
We will advise how this is spent at a later date. (Every dollar given to Dexter is spent on Dexter.)
The money is being put towards the toilet/shower seat. Dexter will be able to use the toilet, without being held. This may seem like a small thing, but it will be wonderful for Dexter, and his parents.
We will advise how this is spent at a later date. (Every dollar given to Dexter is spent on Dexter.)
The money is being put towards the toilet/shower seat. Dexter will be able to use the toilet, without being held. This may seem like a small thing, but it will be wonderful for Dexter, and his parents.
Lenice's Makeover - Thanks Melissa for organising it and to everyone who made it come true.
Read about it here
Read about it here
Massage - A caring friend has been paying for Lenice to have fortnightly back massages. These are not relaxation massages, but painful massages, to help reduce the damage to her back, that is caused by constantly lifting and moving Dexter. Lenice has been told she needs to receive these massages weekly.
Without these massages, Lenice would be in much more pain and everything would be more difficult.
To the kind donator of these massages, we say a very heartfelt 'thank you'. (Wishes to remain anonymous)
When Lenice receives her massage, Dexter also receives a 5-10 minute bowen therapy massage. Dexter receives this as a 'gift' from the massage therapist. Since Dexter began his bowen therapy, his reflux has gone and he is more able to enjoy his exercises.
***Due to her pregnancy, Lenice is not currently able to have these massages.
Without these massages, Lenice would be in much more pain and everything would be more difficult.
To the kind donator of these massages, we say a very heartfelt 'thank you'. (Wishes to remain anonymous)
When Lenice receives her massage, Dexter also receives a 5-10 minute bowen therapy massage. Dexter receives this as a 'gift' from the massage therapist. Since Dexter began his bowen therapy, his reflux has gone and he is more able to enjoy his exercises.
***Due to her pregnancy, Lenice is not currently able to have these massages.
You might like to read more:
Melissa and Melissa's Fundraiser and Melissa sings to Dexter and Melissa pampers Lenice
Upcoming surgery
cerebral palsy and cancer and vision impairment and premature birth
Walker and Walker - a few months later and Standing frame and Theratogs and Little room
Zoe the Physiotherapist
Courage
Today, I just want to be a Mum
Melissa and Melissa's Fundraiser and Melissa sings to Dexter and Melissa pampers Lenice
Upcoming surgery
cerebral palsy and cancer and vision impairment and premature birth
Walker and Walker - a few months later and Standing frame and Theratogs and Little room
Zoe the Physiotherapist
Courage
Today, I just want to be a Mum