Minehead carer appeals for help for MS best friend

Minehead carer appeals for help for MS best friend

10:00am Saturday 4th February 2012 in

A CARER FROM Minehead has launched an appeal in a bid to give his wheelchair-user friend a chance of resuming a normal life by sending him abroad for medical treatment.

Paul Booker, 41, was forced to give up a promising career as a DJ after being struck down with Multiple Sclerosis and now his full-time carer and best friend Philip Rattray hopes to raise £15,000 to send him overseas.

Philip, 21, said: “It is getting progressively worse, that last bit of freedom he has left is going to come to an end and his life will go down the pan.

“He is really, really smart – his brain is certainly in full health, but his body lets him down. It’s heartbreaking. I just want to see my best friend happy again and to help him get back on his feet.”

Paul used to play at nightclubs, parties and festivals across the UK and Europe and taught young people to DJ until 2006, when the crippling neurological condition forced him to retire.

After leading such an active life, he is now confined to a wheelchair and needs 24-hour care from Philip, but the pair believe a new type of foetal stem cell treatment, not currently available in the UK, could offer Paul a new lease of life.

Paul said: “Hopefully it will give me the opportunity to start living my life properly again.

“I used to be an active person with a lively social life and a job, and it would mean everything to me to be able to get back to that and regain my independence. Any improvement whatsoever would be positive.”

The pair are already planning fundraising events around Minehead, from a club night to a family fun day, and are appealing to people who can help, in whatever way they can.

Philip said: “We have already raised £300 from our fundraising page on Facebook, which is fantastic.

“If people can’t afford to donate money but can spare their time, skills or prizes for the grand draw we plan to hold at the family day, we would be very grateful.”

For more information, or to give, call Philip on 01643-709112 or visit http://www.tinyurl.com/7grp24r.

Original post:
Minehead carer appeals for help for MS best friend