With his wheelchair reaching its absolute limit, Jodash Maistry is calling on his community to assist with raising the funds needed for him to purchase a replacement wheelchair.
Jodash was diagnosed with cerebral palsy before his first birthday. Now aged 30, he has been using his current wheelchair for the past 18 years. The chair has been adapted and adjusted as much as possible to lengthen its lifespan – not an ideal solutions, but necessary as Jodash and his family can’t afford to purchase a new chair.
“These well-intentioned modifications haven’t always provided the perfect support, and regrettably, was a major reason for me needing hip surgery in 2011,” he comments.
Following a professional seating assessment in 2024, Jodash is now looking to replace his power wheelchair with something more suitable. He is currently running a BackaBuddy campaign to raise the R50 155 needed to fund his new wheelchair.
“My family faces significant financial hardship. We rely on social grants and my father’s limited retirement funds. Both my parents are over 60 and have endured numerous health challenges that have prevented them from earning additional income,” Jodash comments.
“We simply do not have the means to afford a new, properly fitted motorised wheelchair and the crucial seating and positioning equipment. These donations would help finance the purchase of these essential items I so desperately need and significantly alleviate the immense physical burden on my aging parents,” he adds.
Visit the BackaBuddy campaign to make a donation or reach out to Jodash directly at jodash.maistry@gmail.com.
