Car helps journey

By Tania Martin
FINDING that elusive pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is no longer a dream but a reality for a Ferntree Gully family.
The Haysom-Browns have raised more than $50,000 with the help of people from The Basin to buy a new car that will meet the needs of their daughter Kiah.
Kiah, 3, has spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy and epilepsy and needs around-the-clock care.
Her family has spent the past seven months raising almost $50,000 for a car that has been modified for Kiah’s needs.
Mother Shelley Haysom-Brown was officially handed the keys to her new car last weekend.
She said getting the car wasn’t the end of Kiah’s journey but the culmination of the first leg of an extraordinary trip.
“This (the car) is a dream come true, but what is life without dreams,” she said.
Ms Haysom-Brown now only has to strap a seatbelt to Kiah’s wheelchair and roll her up a ramp and they are ready to travel.
She says taking Kiah on simple trips to the shops would be so much easier.
“I just want to thank you all for taking Kiah into your hearts and showing us how much you care,” she said.
Ms Haysom-Brown said the family would continue to raise money for Kiah’s medical needs with the help of people in the community.
A trivia night will be held in May to help raise more money for the family, and it is hoped the night will become an annual event.