Funds raised for Benji’s Good Friday Appeal have surpassed expectations.
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To say the Paterson family were surprised by the support shown to their Good Friday Appeal would be an understatement.
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After doubling target after target, the Patersons are giving back in the best way they know how — by raising funds to support the same hospital that has treated their son, Benji, for a terminal illness they never saw coming.
Little did the Patersons expect to find themselves at the centre of an appeal of their own when, in May last year, their lives were upended.
Shortly after his fifth birthday, Benji was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
It’s a common type of muscular dystrophy that causes progressive wasting of the muscles.
Diagnosis comes with a life expectancy of around 30 years, and Benji’s came as a shock to the family.
“Essentially, in around May last year, we went to our local GP with some concerns about something to do with his health, which was completely left of field of what we found out was going on,” Benji’s mum, Victoria, said.
“The first few months were obviously pretty rough. We knew what muscular dystrophy was, but there’s so many different kinds. We didn’t really understand the severity of his type.
“I guess you would call it a life-changing diagnosis for [Benji] and for the family.”
Benji (blue hat) with his family.
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Benji is still walking and riding his bike.
He also just finished an Auskick program at his primary school.
But by the age of 12, most children affected by DMD will need to use a wheelchair to get around.
“As he gets older, all of his muscles will start to deteriorate,” Victoria said.
To stave off his condition, five-year-old Benji follows a physiotherapy routine and takes a steroid medication.
But even with such a serious diagnosis, Benji’s spirit hasn’t dimmed.
“He’s taken the whole thing like an absolute champ. He’s always so happy to go see everybody: the doctors, his allied health team,” Victoria said.
“He’s had all these things happen to him, but he smiles through it all. He’s the happiest boy.”
While many children may have a distaste for hospitals, Benji has taken to his visits to the Royal Children’s Hospital because it means seeing the familiar faces in his treatment team.
“They are just the most supportive group of people; they’re happy to see him, they’re always talking about his favourite things,” Victoria said of Benji’s team.
Since starting their Good Friday Appeal weeks ago, the Patersons have broken their fundraising target multiple times as the community throws its support behind Benji.
“It’s pretty overwhelming, but in the best way,” Victoria said.
“We started with a target of $2500, and we weren’t confident that we were going to reach that. And I think we passed that within a week of starting.
“Thank you for the support of the town so far and all Benji’s friends and the families from Trikki Kidz who have donated.”
At the last count, Cobram-Barooga sits fourth in the leaderboard of towns that have donated the most to the Good Friday Appeal, with $5887 raised so far.
Benji’s Good Friday Appeal has so far raised $5771, with a new target of $7500.
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