Chris' story

“I believe the government has done the right thing by people with disabilities.”

Chris is a father, an active member of the Airey's Inlet community, a keen cyclist and "pong" player, and a person living with multiple sclerosis.

Chris was living in a house completely incompatible with his needs as a man with multiple sclerosis.

“It was an old asbestos house built in the 1960s,” Chris explains. “Come winter it was freezing. It was only two bedrooms, and there were three steps. Just trying to navigate that was bad enough.”

Finding something suitable in his hometown had proved financially impossible, and moving away from a lifetime’s worth of friendships is a decision no one should be forced to make because of a disability.

Enter the NDIS, and Chris’ MS Support Coordinator, Michelle.

“It was a nine-and-a-half-month journey,” Chris says, “but Michelle was there right from the beginning, pushing for me to get into a new house. It’s beautiful, it’s warm, I’ve got a bedroom for each of the kids, and I don’t have any steps, which is great.

“And I can say thanks to the NDIS that I have the ability to stay here in town. I believe that’s the most important thing, because I’ve been here for so long, I’ve built so many relationships.”

Funding in Chris’ NDIS plan also covers house cleaning, assisted meal preparation, gardening and yard maintenance, transport and participation in a local exercise program. It has also allowed Chris to enjoy one of his most cherished activities.

“One of my goals is to cycle with the kids,” he says. “The NDIS have seen fit to provide me with a trike. The next time the kids are here, they’ll be able to come for a ride with me.”

The process of achieving these outcomes might have intimidated Chris had he tried to do so on his own, and he’s just as grateful to MS for providing support coordination as he is to the NDIS.

“It’s been absolutely fantastic to have Michelle supporting me through the whole journey,” he says.

If you have any impairment that stops you from doing everyday things by yourself, like Chris does, you might be eligible for support to help you achieve your goals.Contact MS Connect on 1800 042 138 for more information.