Plans for Dalmeny grandmother, Trish Carey’s marathon walk from Adelaide to Canberra are well underway with the start date scheduled for December 29, this year.
Trish Carey is determined to walk and cycle from Victoria Square, Adelaide to Parliament House, Canberra to raise awareness of the chronic ailment Marfan Syndrome.
Her grandson Clae will walk with Trish through the many towns along the way to bring to the public’s attention the syndrome that prematurely stole his mother Lisa’s life.
On Monday Marc and Helga Jazbec of Jazis Motors, Narooma donated a $25,000 air-conditioned caravan for Trish and her grandson Clae to live in for the duration of their marathon trek.
“The support I have received from the community of Narooma has been wonderful,” Trish said.
In the meantime Teresa Van Der Heul of Monty’s Computers has been busy helping Trish with her electronic needs.
“I’m only about $500 short of getting Trish a lap top computer, which has been offered at a wholesale price by QDI Technology,” Teresa said.
QDI Technology has already sponsored money, an I-pod shuffle and a web cam.
Trish plans on documenting her walk with a daily diary, and people will be able to follow Trish’s progress on the Internet.
Through Monty’s Computers help the Southern Phone Company have donated Trish a mobile phone with $50 credits from Greer Allen and $100 from Monty’s Computers.
Last Wednesday Tulipe and Mark Nugent of Narooma Fitness and Bicycles donated Trish a bicycle and helmet to use for her to cycle between towns on her 1200 kilometre trek.
Trish’s grandson, 12 year old Clae, Lisa’s son is accompanying Trish and her marathon and plans to walk through towns with his grandmother to help raise awareness about the common disorder Marfan Syndrome that took his mothers life.
Clae lost his mother when she was just 28-years-old in August 2004 when her aorta ruptured cutting off the blood supply to her vital organs ultimately leading to Lisa’s death.
Marfan syndrome is a life-threatening genetic disorder of connective tissue involving multiple organs within the body.
The disorder particularly affects the skeleton leading to excessive height; the spine causing scoliosis; the eyes leading to poor vision due to dislocation of the lenses; the lungs and the heart, heart valves and major blood vessels.
The most catastrophic complication of this disorder is the rupture of the main blood vessel, the aorta.
Many parents of children suffering from Marfan Syndrome don’t find out they have the disease until they die and an autopsy reveals the cause of death as being a complication of Marfan.
The NSW website for Marfan Support at www.marfan.net.au or www.geocites.com/marfanaustralia_qld has numerous stories of families who have or have lost a child through Marfan.
In the meantime Trish continues her search for someone that can help with a four-wheel drive to pull her caravan and petrol for the trip.
“I’m getting there, I’m nearly ready to go,” Trish said.
Trish wants the four wheel drive and caravan because her grandson Clay is accompanying her the marathon although he doesn’t plan to walk the whole way.
Anyone that may be able to help Trish with a four wheel drive, fuel or assistance can contact her on 0488 221 849.
All donations made towards Trish’s walk for Marfan are tax deductable.