Anonymous Liveline listeners donate €8,000 for spina bifida patient's new wheelchair

Two anonymous Liveline listeners have donated €8,000 to a man with spina bifida so he can buy a new wheelchair.

Anonymous Liveline listeners donate €8,000 for spina bifida patient's new wheelchair

Two anonymous Liveline callers have donated €8,000 to a man with spina bifida so he can buy a new wheelchair.

33-year-old Darren was on Liveline with his mother Kathleen to say the current wheelchair couldn't be pushed anymore.

Darren has baby kidneys and has to go to the hospital three days a week for dialysis.

Darren with his parents. Picture: Liveline on RTÉ Radio
Darren with his parents. Picture: Liveline on RTÉ Radio

They told Joe Duffy on Radio 1 they had been waiting 18 months for a new motorized wheelchair, but the HSE told them there was a huge demand.

The dream for the family is as simple as being able visit Ballybunion beach together, something they can't do with Darren's present chair.

After their appearance on the show, two Liveline listeners have come forward to donate €8,000 to Darren for a brand new electric wheelchair.

"The good news is Darren you will have a new chair," Joe Duffy told Darren and Kathleen.

"Two listeners so far... They have guaranteed between the two of them that they will pay the €8,000 for your new wheelchair."

Liveline also had Kieran Browne from MMS Medical on the line, and he told Darren and Kathleen that they would do a full assessment to kit Darren out with the new chair.

"What I will do is hopefully by Wednesday go down to Darren at his house, do a full assessment with Darren. Do all his measurements," said Kieran.

"And if we don't have a brand new chair in stock immediately for him, we will provide one of our demo chairs - as close as we can get for him - until the new chair comes.

"So hopefully we'd have something to him within a week to 10 days."

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