By Alesha Capone
A carnival for Tarneit’s Tantaro family promises plenty of fun.
The Carnival for the Cousins Crusade will be held at Derrimut Heath Primary School in Hoppers Crossing on November 16 to raise money for the Tantaro boys, who all have the genetic condition Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Brothers Jakob, 7, and Lukas, 5, and their cousin, Anthony, 10, were born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a hereditary condition that causes muscle wastage, breathing difficulties and heart problems.
Their grandmother Sue Tantaro is leading the charge to raise money for the youngsters who, by the time they are 12, will lose their ability to walk and eventually become quadriplegics. There is no cure for DMD.
Mrs Tantaro’s fundraising efforts to help her grandsons have included a weight loss challenge and building a respite home to suit their specialist needs.
“The carnival will be to raise money for everything from accessible vehicles, scooters, wheelchairs and various therapies, things that aren’t covered by the National Disability Insurance Scheme,” Mrs Tantaro said.
An animal farm, mini golf and Harley Davidson rides will be among the carnival’s many attractions.
The family has set up a trust account – the Cousins Crusade Appeal: bit.ly/2wmCu6Z
