I'm Jamie Masterman I have Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy which is a muscle wasting disease.

I have been in a wheelchair since I was 10, as I kept falling over because my legs were so weak. My wheelchair is my legs - without it I am bed-ridden and housebound. Because of my condition, NHS wheelchairs are just too uncomfortable and do not give me the independence I currently have. My current wheelchair cost over £12,000 which I had to raise myself from donations and charities.

I cannot work ( believe me I would love to), am on a e-pap ventilator 24 hours a day, and am fed directly into my stomach overnight as its too difficult for me to eat enough. I don't complain about my condition as there plenty of young people out there suffering worse than me, and I try to keep myself busy with normal activities when my health allows it by walking my dog Geoff, visiting friends & occasionally a treat by going to the pub or cinema with friends.

Sadly my 'legs' now require some urgent repairs, two new batteries as the old ones are virtually dead which now means I cannot go out as the chair needs charging twice or three times a day, and a seat-raising Actuator (the current one is held together by cable ties) for my trusty Typhoon 2 wheelchair.

I know that financially most people are struggling but anything you could spare would be a godsend, I would be so grateful and so would Geoff

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Cheers, Jamie