A MOUNT Cotton woman has opened her home to disabled girls to help other parents like her take time out.
Cathy Lawrance who has an 18-year-old daughter with Rett Syndrome, established Rosie’s Retreat last month in a bid to provide day respite for high-needs female clients.
While Rosie’s Retreat is yet to become a registered non-for-profit, donations are sought for a wheelchair friendly van to take clients and their carers on excursions.
Ms Lawrance said $55,000 was needed to buy the car, with donations to be raised through a barbecue at Mount Cotton IGA on Saturday, December 2 and a Go Fund Me campaign.
“This would ultimately make getting out and about in the community a lot easier and accessible and a lot of fun for the girls to travel together,” she said.
Generous individuals have so far donated about $1500 to the cause via “Rosie’s Retreat Fundraising” page.
Ms Lawrance said activities offered at her home, which had been modified for clients’ special needs, included arts, crafts, cooking, gardening and games.
She said clients at Rosie’s Retreat were supervised by their own carers, with her home opened to high-needs clients whose parents needed a break.
“When you have a child with disability you don’t have a life and so this respite service helps other parents have that life,” she said.
