'Desperate' single mum with 'debilitating' condition facing homelessness
Angie Arland and her children all suffer from the same medical condition, but they're now facing a whole new set of challenges.
For single mum Angie Arland, the thought of being homeless "keeps [her] awake at night", but within six months, she and her children will likely be without a place to live.
The South Australian woman says she's "desperate" to find suitable accommodation for herself and her children, aged 19 and 23, as their sharehouse will soon be demolished. But in the current rental climate she doesn't feel hopeful, Angie told Yahoo News Australia.
Angie, a full-time carer of her two children who, like her, suffer from "unexplained" and "debilitating myoclonic seizures", is paying $500 a fortnight, significantly cheaper than the average price of $670 a week in the Dernancourt area in Adelaide, she said.
"We've been on the public housing list for two years but there's a seven-year wait to get a place. I've been looking at rentals but we are unable to afford anything with the rent increases," she explained.
"I've rung caravan parks are they aren't taking on any more permanents as they are at capacity. I really don't know what else to do".
Ineligible for NDIS
Angie relies solely on her carer's pension because, with her health condition, she's unable to work. The family has been on the public neurologist wait list for five years and without an official diagnosis, she can't apply for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
"Our current financial situation isn't good. I need a new car, my old 2006 Ford that I bought for $500 is falling apart, our housing is unstable and my son desperately needs a new wheelchair," she said.
"I've seen families living out of cars here and it’s heartbreaking, I don't want that for my kids. We've endured homelessness in the past."
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'Desperate' mum 'embarrassed' to ask for help
Admitting she's "embarrassed" for asking for help, the desperate mum has started a GoFundMe fundraiser. Angie is hoping to raise some money to cover the cost of seeing a private neurologist so she and her children can hopefully get the care and diagnosis they need.
"It costs more money than I have," she wrote on the GoFundMe page. "Initial consults are $1500 plus the tests. This is so hard for me to ask but, if anyone can help financially, I'd be eternally grateful".
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