{"id":193451,"date":"2018-12-12T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-12-12T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/193451\/give-justin-some-independence-with-a-special-wheelchair\/"},"modified":"2018-12-12T20:33:13","modified_gmt":"2018-12-12T18:33:13","slug":"give-justin-some-independence-with-a-special-wheelchair","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/news-headlines\/2018\/12\/12\/give-justin-some-independence-with-a-special-wheelchair\/","title":{"rendered":"Give Justin some independence with a special wheelchair"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>For Justin Scullard (40) life has changed completely.<\/p>\n<p>From being an able-bodied resident of the Avril Elizabeth Home in Fishers\u2019 Hill, he is now confined to a wheelchair.<\/p><div class=\"stream-item stream-item-in-post stream-item-inline-post aligncenter\"><\/div>\n<p>And the worst part is no one has any idea why this has happened to him.<\/p>\n<p>The GCN met Justin and his mother Sharon Levey at the home on Wednesday to find out what Justin needs to help him adapt to life in a wheelchair.<\/p><div class=\"stream-item stream-item-in-post stream-item-inline-post aligncenter\"><\/div>\n<p>Sharon, who lives in Lambton, is appealing to the community and local businesses to open their hearts to assist the family purchase him a special wheelchair, as she cannot afford to buy one.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_193453\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-193453\" style=\"width: 520px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-193453\" src=\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2018\/12\/49GCNGENERALJUST_51566-520x390.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"520\" height=\"390\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dwu32cgxelq1c.cloudfront.net\/local_newspapers\/sites\/31\/2018\/12\/49GCNGENERALJUST_51566-520x390.jpg 520w, https:\/\/dwu32cgxelq1c.cloudfront.net\/local_newspapers\/sites\/31\/2018\/12\/49GCNGENERALJUST_51566-270x203.jpg 270w, https:\/\/dwu32cgxelq1c.cloudfront.net\/local_newspapers\/sites\/31\/2018\/12\/49GCNGENERALJUST_51566-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dwu32cgxelq1c.cloudfront.net\/local_newspapers\/sites\/31\/2018\/12\/49GCNGENERALJUST_51566.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 520px) 100vw, 520px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-193453\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Justin Scullard with careworker Andrew Sebata at the Avril Elizabeth Home. Justin sees Andrew as a great friend and companion. Justin is in need of a special wheelchair after recently becoming physically disabled.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The wheelchair needed is an adult size chair with removable desktop armrests and removable footrests.<\/p>\n<p>He is also in desperate need of a wheelchair cushion, which his physiotherapist Renate van Rensburg said is extremely important, as well as adult nappies.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJustin has been staying at Avril Elizabeth Home since 2000, as I could not manage him at home anymore,\u201d said Sharon.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe visit him every week and it is sad to see him without his \u2018independence\u2019 as he used to love walking around the home.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Justin suffered brain damage at the age of 20 months when he fell out of Sharon\u2019s flat window.<\/p>\n<p>Sharon added that he loves staying at the home and has many friends there.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Justin builds a puzzle\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-sGOdGc6QaM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen I take him home, he will always make me bring him back early as he misses his friends,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Justin was taken to Tambo Memorial Hospital at the end of March as he had diarrhoea.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe was there for about a week and when we visited him he couldn\u2019t lift his head which was very strange,\u201d Sharon said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen he came home he could not walk.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe was home for about a week and then was taken back to hospital where he stayed for a further two months.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"7018127097 - Melissa Hart Sharon Levey Wheelchair by Germiston City News\" width=\"500\" height=\"400\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"no\" allow=\"autoplay; encrypted-media\" src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?visual=true&#038;url=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F543795564&#038;show_artwork=true&#038;maxheight=750&#038;maxwidth=500\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe day he was discharged we didn\u2019t think he was going to make it but the wonderful staff at the Avril Elizabeth Home nursed him back to health.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Justin was released from hospital without a diagnosis even though the doctors had run numerous tests.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have had a meeting with the hospital regarding certain matters,\u201d Sharon said.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">ALSO READ:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/193093\/goodies-galore-at-driveway-sale\/\" target=\"_blank\">Goodies galore at driveway sale<\/a><\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center\"><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/176148\/easter-treats-for-avril-elizabeth-home-residents\/\" target=\"_blank\">Easter treats for Avril Elizabeth Home residents<\/a><\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Justin could not use his arms either upon his release but through the dedication of van Rensburg he has regained the use of his arms and they are improving every day.<\/p>\n<p>However, the prognosis is that he will never walk again.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt breaks my heart that he will never walk again,\u201d Sharon said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe loved his independence.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If anyone can help Justin to regain some independence by donating the wheelchair needed or donating towards it they can contact Sharon on 084 633 6956.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>Have a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"http:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/wp-admin\/germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za\">germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za <\/a><\/strong>or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"mailto:leighh@caxton.co.za\">leighh@caxton.co.za<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>or Kgotsofalang Mashilo (journalist)\u00a0<a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"mailto:kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">Remember to visit the Germiston City News on the following social media platforms:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/germistoncitynews\/\">Facebook<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GCNnews\">Twitter<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/germistoncitynews\/\">Instagram<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCblgxW6BRXTLGLQvpcumLqA\">YouTube<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">Or add the GCN on<span class=\"apple-converted-space\"><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/span><strong>WhatsApp 079 406 1181<\/strong><span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0<strong>BBM (BBM Pin: 7F102137)<\/strong><span class=\"apple-converted-space\"><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/span>today, to get all the latest news.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">Catch-up on more local news with our sister newspapers<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"http:\/\/bedfordviewedenvalenews.co.za\/\">Bedfordview Edenvale News<\/a><\/strong>,<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"http:\/\/albertonrecord.co.za\/\">Alberton Record<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and<span class=\"apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><strong><a class=\"anchor_post\" href=\"http:\/\/kemptonexpress.co.za\/\">Kempton Express<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"stream-item stream-item-below-post-content\">\n<div class='tenancy_slot tenancy_slot_1 jannah_ad' style='display: none;' data-query-id='c662d1747b7a38d55ff5650d89786ae1'><\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Avril Elizabeth Home resident in need of help from the community.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1848,"featured_media":193452,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"hasGravity":false,"cxt_article_byline":"Melissa 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