A St Andrews mum with a mystery illness is hosting a Halloween “spooky walk” in her garden to fundraise for a new wheelchair.
Georgia Gatherum-Marshall, 27, was left unable to stand after becoming unwell as a teenager.
The mum-of-two has multiple small diagnoses but doctors have never discovered why she first fell ill.
Due to brain damage and joint problems, she now relies on a wheelchair to get around.
But she now needs to raise cash for a new one as her current chair is no longer suitable.
St Andrews mum says electric wheelchair ‘gives me my independence’
Georgia told The Courier: “My current wheelchair is nine years old and struggling to last.
“Things are breaking on it and we have already put a bit of money into it.
“Because I have epilepsy, the NHS won’t fund a new one for me.
“The criteria is that you have to be a year seizure-free before they will give you a powerchair that I would be able to use outside of the house.
“I have been told by wheelchair services that they can provide a chair for indoor use only but they would cut the speed limit to 2mph.
“I was told if I was caught using it outside it would be taken from me, which is just ridiculous as my wheelchair gives me my independence.
“I have been poorly since I was 13 and lost my mobility when I was 16 as, due to needing surgery and being bedbound, they found I had brain damage.
“Originally it was gastro issues and then when I was 14 I had surgery for a stoma, then needed help to be fed and needed the chair.
“They don’t know what caused it, I have got lots of little diagnoses but they have never been able to put it together.”
Halloween walk to raise money for St Andrews mum’s wheelchair
Georgia says having a reliable wheelchair is essential for looking after her two children – six-year-old Lilli and three-year-old Archi.
Her family fundraised to buy her current wheelchair in 2015 and alongside her husband, James, she is now hoping to raise the £8,000 she needs for a replacement.
James, 32, has created a “spooky walk” in their garden at 19 Findlay Douglas Court to help.
It includes a Halloween-themed “walkthrough” using their garden ramp, which has been lined with skeletons and other decorations.
The couple will host visitors on Halloween, as well as November 1 and 2.
This will include an early-evening “family-friendly” session between 6.30pm and 7.30pm and a later “scarier” event with dressed-up actors from 7.30pm until 9.30pm.
Donations towards Georgia’s new chair will be taken during the events.
Georgia added: “We have done it all ourselves – James decorated the garden and I have made up around 400 goodie bags.
“We wanted to level up the later event with actors so we have James and a few family friends dressing up.
“Anyone is free to turn up and we are planning to take people around the walk in batches.”
Conversation