Dear Friends, Fans and everyone who has kindly taken the time to read this,

My husband’s sister brought this very sad story to my attention and it touched me so much that I knew I had to do something to help.

A friend of my husband’s sister, Megan, is married with two son’s aged 5 and 10. Two months ago, in August, they all visited a public swimming pool in Vienna and her husband was playing around in the pool with his two sons. While trying to do a simple bomb into the water, his chin hit the bottom of the pool and he broke his second cervical vertebra.

Since then, he is paralysed from the neck down and has just been moved from intensive care. Due to the fractured cervical vertebrae he must rely on a respirator, his rehabilitation is due to start but because there are no rehabilitation centers in Austria with a respirator he has to be moved to Hamburg as soon as possible.

As it stands, he gets only one hour of physical therapy a day, more could be done but cannot be financially afforded. Every day that we wait effects his chances of recovering.

Every penny that we raise in these auctions will go to more physiotherapy sessions and then to help him move to Hamburg. The chances of him ever walking again are probably zero but if just a small improvement could be made in his breathing and he would gain back the use of his hands then he could use a wheel chair.

My own grandfather was paralysed from the chest down over 40 years ago after a diving accident. I have only ever known him in a wheel chair but he is a brilliant man who never ever gave up and who stayed positive. He continued his passions of flying and driving despite being paralysed and opened a his own diving business and caravan site. He is now 84 years old and is still going strong! He lives in Oban and is an inspiration to many.

This is why we must help this family. They need support during this incredibly difficult time. They are not ‘poor’, they are normal people like you and me who due to pure bad luck have been thrown into difficult circumstances.

Whatever is raised in both auctions, I will double with my own money.

Should you prefer to simply make a donation, the bank details are: Liliana Dobner, 50304 072 886, Bank Austria, bank code 12000, IBAN AT39 1200 0503 0407 2886.

Please please please make a bid, you have the chance to win my original race suit or boots and more importantly make the difference for a family.

Thank you.

Susie