A fundraiser will be held at Dubbo in December to help former Dubbo residents Alf Beale and Lisa Gordon with the costs of raising their son Myles, who was born with two serious conditions.
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Two-year-old Myles was born with Arthrogryposis, a disease that creates contractures in the joints of the arms and legs and causes deformities.
Just two days later he was diagnosed with Polymicrogyria, a condition that stops the nerves in the brain from sending messages to perform functions such as sucking and swallowing. It also creates developmental difficulties.
Alf, Lisa and Myles and his six-year-old sister Xylia live in Campbelltown, while Myles’ 21-year-old brother Shaun lives in Dubbo.
“When Myles was born and diagnosed the doctors told us he could only live for a few days so two years on he has come a long way,” Alf said.
“He has had to go through so much. He has had operations and physio to get his limbs into the proper position and he had three surgeries on his Achilles because his feet were like club feet.
“Myles is dependant on a machine that sucks to clear away the secretions from his mouth because he can’t swallow and he also had a tube that provides him with nutrients.”
Alf worked in the disability industry, which he said helped him to move towards, but last year took 12 months off to help organise everything Myles needed. He is just about to return to work.
“When I was working in the industry, I always thought I didn’t know how I would cope if it was my child in this position,” he said.
“Early on we were asking questions like ‘why us?’ but then you think why anyone else either?”
Friends and family in Dubbo decided to organise the fundraising night at the Dubbo RSL to help with the costs of raising Myles and paying for his treatment.
The fundraiser will be held on December 2 from 6pm, and will include entertainment and a number of items for auction including signed rugby league jerseys, and two tickets for the Tribal Warrior Cruise on Sydney Harbour on New Year’s Eve. Tickets are $50.
Tickets can be booked through Dubbo RSL and any businesses wanting to donate items for the auction can call Jody South on 0409888331.