A Bitterne Parker who says she often fundraises for charities and volunteers with Girl Guiding, is now hoping to raise funds to get a wheelchair so she can “live my life like an 18-year-old”.

At the time of writing, 60% of the £1,500 target has been pledged by 34 supporters of Lauren Blake on a crowdfunding page set up for her, “in order to give her the independence she longs for”.

The page explains Lauren has a condition that affects one in 5,000 people causing multiple dislocations, joint pains, fatigue and lots of other symptoms.

Lauren's joints can dislocate around 30 times a day, and whilst she can walk, it’s painful and relies on daily doses of morphine. Lauren currently has a wheelchair, but needs to raise funds for another one, which will “give her the independence an 18 year old requires”.

She also suffers from another “rare condition where her stomach is paralysed due to food being unable to pass through it”. This means she’s had numerous feeding tubes, just to try and get the required nutrition in to her body.

You can read the rest of her story, and pledge funds from this link.

Previously: Local Girlguiding group needs more adult volunteers