By Esther Lauaki
Tarneit’s Tantaro family is organising a carnival for later this year to raise money for their three sons, who all have the genetic condition Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Brothers, seven-year-old Jakob and five-year-old Lukas, 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 boys who, by the time they are 12, will lose their ability to walk and eventually become quadriplegics.
“Their health is slowly getting worse,” Mrs Tantaro said.
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 next fundraiser, a carnival at Derrimut Heath Primary School in Hoppers Crossing, is planned for November 16 with tickets on sale in coming weeks.
“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.
There is no cure for DMD and sufferers usually die from heart or respiratory failure in their early to mid-20s.
The family has set up a trust account – the Cousins Crusade Appeal: bit.ly/2wmCu6Z
