Help Reef Scoble Walk: Gold Coast family on mission to raise $86k in 10 weeks
Aussies have thrown their support behind a determined little Gold Coast boy, whose dream of being able to walk on his own captured the heart of the nation.
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Aussies have thrown their support behind a determined little Gold Coast boy, whose dream of being able to walk on his own captured the heart of the nation.
Four-year-old Labrador boy Reef Scoble will soon be on his way to the United States for life - changing surgery after the community rallied to raise the $130,000 needed to make it happen.
The incredible fundraising goal was reached on Monday – eight weeks before his surgery date of July 18.
Reef’s mum Alana Radford said the family was overjoyed with the result.
“We will be forever grateful to everyone who has donated and shared our cause,” she said.
Earlier this month, the Bulletin shared the family’s desperate mission to raise the funds needed to allow their little boy to take his first unassisted steps.
Reef was born with spastic cerebral palsy, a condition caused by abnormal brain development or damage to the developing brain that affects a person’s ability to control their muscles.
This meant the four-year-old was unable to walk independently and had to use a paediatric walker.
World-renowned neurosurgeon Dr T.S. Park offered to give the Labrador boy life-changing surgery in the United States.
The cost of surgery, therapy and travel to the US would set the family back about $130,000.
“We are overwhelmed and thrilled for Reef that he has been given this opportunity to improve his quality of life,” Ms Radford said.
“We have received a huge amount of support from family, friends and people all over Australia.
“The incredible generosity, the kind words and positivity means so much to us.”
EARLIER:
A determined four-year-old Gold Coast boy who has taken life’s challenges in his stride now needs the community’s help to be able to walk on his own.
A few months after Reef Scoble was born, first-time parents Alana Radford and Tim Scoble began to notice some difficulties in his movement.
But Ms Radford put this down to her baby being born 10 weeks premature.
“Even people who met him after we left the hospital would make comments about him being stiff,” she said.
“We just thought that is how premature babies are.
“We knew he was different, but he wasn’t actually diagnosed until he was 16-months-old.”
Reef was diagnosed with spastic cerebral palsy.
The condition is caused by abnormal brain development or damage to the developing brain that affects a person’s ability to control their muscles.
This means Reef is unable to walk independently and has to use a paediatric walker.
World-renowned neurosurgeon Dr T.S. Park has offered to give the Labrador boy life-changing surgery in the United States.
This would involve testing and cutting the abnormal nerve fibres in the lower spinal cord in a bid to eliminate or permanently reduce spasticity.
Ms Radford said Dr Park recommended this surgery be carried out on children between two and four years old to achieve the best possible outcome.
The cost of surgery, therapy and travel to the US will be about $130,000, she said.
Through an online fundraising page, the family has pulled together $44,000.
But with a surgery date of July 18 fast approaching, this means the family has just 10 weeks to raise about $86,000.
“I am trying to be very positive and hope we can raise the funds in time,” a tearful Ms Radford said.
“I have spoken to Reef and asked him how he would feel about the possibility of not having to use his walker – he is super excited.
“He told his dad ‘I’d love to go for a walk without my walker’.”
Ms Radford said the surgery would be “life-changing” for her bubbly and resilient preschooler.
“It would help him live a more independent and pain-free life,” she said.
“He is just such a determined little boy. He wins over the hearts of everyone he meets.
“Any support we have received so far and any more from the community is such a huge blessing.”
To view the GoFundMe page, visit: www.gofundme.com/f/help-reef-walk
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Originally published as Help Reef Scoble Walk: Gold Coast family on mission to raise $86k in 10 weeks
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