Glenrothes community rallies round for Conner

Conner Bermingham (9), from Macedonia, has two holes at the core of his brain, which means he has several life-limiting disabilities.

Conner’s current wheelchair is so heavy that it means he needs help to move, but a lighter chair would enable him to get around easier on his own.

Louise, Conner’s mum, says he has a gene mutation called Tubb3, a condition so rare that he is the only sufferer in Scotland, and one of only a handful in the UK.

Some who have the condition can suffer from a range of issues, such as heart conditions and seizures.

Conner, who lives with mum Louise, dad William and sister Chelsea (12), only has partial sight along with mobility issues, and lacks the strength to move his wheelchair.

He is capable of short journeys on foot, but needs a wheelchair for anything longer.

“He can’t get out to play with the other kids unless there is someone to push him,” said Louise.

“He really relies on us and a lighter chair would help him with his independence and help build up his strength.

“We asked the NHS about getting a chair that he can move easier and the one they offered isn’t much lighter than what he has now.

“We’ve been told that his mobility will eventually get worse.

“We don’t want to wait for that to happen before he gets what he needs.”

The family hopes to raise £4500 for a lighter wheelchair, and thanks to a number of events, fundraisers have reached almost £2500 so far.

Louise heaped praise on the local community for their support.

“The help we’ve had from people has been fantastic, they’ve been really good. Everyone’s been supporting the fundraising events.”

A recent fundraising night at the Pro Bowl raised £650, with bowling alley owner Brian Sands opening the town centre facility early to support the cause.

Brian Sands said: “We were glad to help. We saw on Facebook that they were raising money for Conner’s wheelchair.

We offered them the chance to hold a night here and they sold tickets to raise funds.”

A fundraising celidh is also being planned at Warout Stadium on January 21.

To donate can go to the Crowdfunding page.