A man stricken by a muscular disorder at 15 is hoping to regain some of his independence by raising €100,000 to buy a modified van which he can drive from his wheelchair.

Thirty-nine years ago, Carmelo Charles Cassar was diagnosed with Beckers Muscular Dystrophy, which results in the progressive degeneration of muscles. The muscles, especially in the legs and pelvis area, slowly weaken, causing difficulty in walking over time.

The van he would like to buy belonged to someone with a similar condition to his and who has died.

Cassar recalled how the disorder crept up on him: “When I was young, I slowly began to feel something different.” At 18, he would start to lose control of his legs and fall after walking a long distance. By the age of 44, he was confined to a wheelchair.

But life went on. He carried on with his studies and learnt the trade of electrician. He met his future wife, Joanne, and they have a 16-year-old daughter.

“My wife’s support means everything to me,” Cassar told Times of Malta.

“She has been there at every moment for me. She has been not just my wife but my carer too, supporting me in all while she works and takes care of our daughter and family.”

He did not give up when his condition continued to worsen. He bought a powered wheelchair and modified his car to enable him to drive to work and continue with family life.

Three years ago, however, he had to stop driving as his health continued to deteriorate.

His wife sold her car and they bought a Toyota Ractis Wellcab, “so she could drive me places”.

“I feel like a burden to her. She can’t cope with everything,” he said.

It became more difficult for him to go to work, as an office secretary, and he became frustrated at his loss of independence.

“I wish to regain my independence, to be able not to depend fully on my wife and family, and to drive myself to work and hospital visits,” Cassar said.

So he began to search for a car he could access with his wheelchair and operate at ease.

“At one point I came across someone who had a similar condition to mine and when I asked how much his van cost, he told me he had bought it for more than €150,000,” he said.

“At the sound of that price, I gave up hope.”

A few months later, Cassar was shocked to hear that this man had died.

“I let a few months pass and I plucked up the courage to reach out to his relatives. I asked if they would sell the van, and they told me they would sell it for €100,000. I thought the price was reasonable, seeing how well-modified it is, but I knew I would need help to purchase it.”

The van is a Volkswagen Caddy, which has been modified to allow a wheelchair driver to access the van from the back. It is also equipped with a joystick, instead of a traditional steering wheel, and a voice-command ignition, allowing the individual to drive safely and independently.

That is when he decided to set up the funding page, with hopes that the public would help him regain his independence. At the time of writing, his GoFundMe page, ‘Journey to Mobility: Van Fund Campaign’, had raised nearly €1000 from 37 donations. NGO Puttinu Cares also reached out to Cassar to aid him.

“One of my deepest desires is to regain the independence I once had, particularly the freedom to drive,” he wrote on his GoFundMe page.

“Independence is something I have always valued deeply. Relying on others for transportation has been challenging, adding stress to my life and to those around me. Having this van would not only restore my independence but also significantly improve my quality of life and reduce the burden on my loved ones.”

Donations can be sent to IBAN MT47VALL22013000000050020945878, Revolut 9989 8280 or BOV mobile to mobile 9989 8280