Our Families

Team Morrison

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Description

Hi! My name is Jake and I celebrated my 2nd birthday in March 2010. For reasons that we will probably never know I was born with significant brain underdevelopment. Because my brain didn’t grow properly my movement is affected and I can’t use my arms and legs or control my head properly. I have severe spastic quadriplegia, global developmental delay and visual impairment. I can’t do anything for myself and rely 100% on my family to take care of me and to meet all of my needs.

Despite my challenges I am a very happy, social little boy who loves spending time with my family and friends. I love to smile and laugh and whenever I do I make everyone else smile and laugh because my laughter is so infectious! My animal train and bongo drums are my favourite toys and I really enjoy story time. Music is another one of my favourite things and I also love looking at lights, I find them quite mesmerising! I love it when Mummy dances me around the lounge. I also love bouncing on Daddy’s knee and I can’t stop laughing when Daddy tickles me! Sneezes are another one of my favourite things; I think sneezes are very funny!

When Mummy and Daddy were told that my brain didn’t develop properly they were also told that I would never walk or talk and that I would need 24 hour a day care for the rest of my life. Well, I disagree with that and am doing everything I possibly can to prove the doctors wrong with Mummy and Daddy’s help.

Things that most people take for granted like playing with a toy, moving independently, clapping, pointing, talking, and eating are things I am unable to do yet, but I am trying my hardest and am very determined. My dreams when I grow up are to be able to walk and talk and comprehend the world around me. I’d love to go to school one day and make lots more friends, learn lots of things, and play lots of fun games. I don’t want to let my brain injury get in the way of living a fulfilling and happy life.

Mummy makes me do lots of therapy every day to help teach my brain how to do things. On top of all that I also have to do my physio every day, go for massage several times a week, and spend time in my standing frame. Mummy takes me to Playgroup once a week to see all my special friends there and it’s nice to get out of the house for a few hours.

Please help me to achieve my dreams by making a donation to assist my Mummy and Daddy with the cost of my ongoing therapies. It is very expensive and most therapies are not covered by Medicare or private health insurance. As I am getting bigger Mummy and Daddy need special equipment to assist with my mobility and this is very expensive too.

This year the funds we raise will be used to continue my early intervention therapies to give me the best possible chance of reaching my full potential.

• Specialists – Paediatrician, Paediatric neurologist, Paediatric ophthalmologist, Paediatric dietitian, Orthotist – all of my doctors are looking after me the best they can.

• Alternative therapies – Massage, Chiropractic, Naturopath – my therapists are working hard to assist my mobility and to ease the muscle tension in my limbs.

• Neuro developmental therapy – a specialised program to help bridge the gap between the damaged and undamaged parts of my brain to help me achieve my milestones.

• Hydrotherapy – to help ease the tension in my limbs and to aid the physiotherapy.

Any donation you are able to make will be very gratefully received no matter how big or small! Donations of $2 or more are even tax deductible. I would love it if you could also help by sending my web page to all your family and friends. Every little bit helps and I promise to work as hard as I can with my exercises every day. I am very determined and so are my parents.

You can see more photos of me and keep up to date with my achievements at my website www.ourbuddyjake.com

If you can, please come along to Riverwalk and be part of my team. It’s a great day out and we’d love to see you there!