Lions Club of Mandurah starts GoFundMe to buy car for Tyson Wiliams

In the past few year tumours in his spinal cord and other medical complications have not just impacted on his ability to learn but have forced doctors to amputate his left leg.

With that he has lost many of the freedoms most people take for granted. The freedom to walk. The freedom to learn easily. The freedom to follow any career and life choice he wants.

With so much independence lost, a big-hearted community group in Mandurah, Western Australia, put their resources together to try to give him one bit of respite - a car.

"I would be excited more than than anything, as it would give me freedom and I wouldn't have the limits of depending on public transport," Tyson, now 20, said.

"I have an interview next week to discuss work for people with disabilities, so I can hopefully try to get a job. I can't do that without a car."

He has also made some connections that could see him take up dancing again with his prosthetic leg.

"Having a car would help especially because much of it is at night," he says.

And then there is the prospect of driving his high school sweetheart and girlfriend of three-and-a-half years, Stacey Lacey, on a date - priceless.

Tyson passed his learner driving permit a month ago and is now waiting on an NDIS plan that would help with modifications to enable him to drive.

"I obviously don't have my left leg and my right leg is still quite bad so I would need quite a lot of modifications," he said.

The Mandurah Lions are fundraising for a car suitable for hand controls and that meets NDIS requirements.

The Lions started fighting for Tyson's cause when Mandurah members Des and Joyce McLean met him mid-2019 and saw him in considerable pain and unable to walk.

The Lions have various projects underway to raise money for the car but they are appealing to the public to help make the dream a reality.

"This amazing young man has had to endure so much already, and he does so with a smile still on his face and the determination to continue on," club president John Osborne said.

Tyson first began feeling pain at the age of 13 but says he was only diagnosed three years later.

"I couldn't sit for long, even standing still would hurt all the time, it got to the point where it was unbearable," Tyson said. "When I moved in with mum, she realised I was sore and I had developed a limp in my left leg."

While waiting for specialist referrals, his left leg became paralysed while bladder, bowel and other organs began to shut down.

"When I saw the neurosurgeon, he explained that my tumour was originally in my brain and transferred itself to my spinal cord - pilocytic astrocytoma - leaving a learning difficulty," Tyson said.

Tyson underwent spinal surgery but was left with a serious disability to his left side, causing his left foot to twist backwards.

This ultimately left Tyson and his family with the heartbreaking prospect having his left leg amputated at the hip. Six weeks of intensive physiotherapy and additional treatment later, the decision was taken to amputate below the left knee. Tyson is now training to walk with his prosthetic limb.

Despite continual surgeries Tyson managed to graduate high school.

Tyson says his meeting with the Mandurah Lions has given him a new lease on life: "They lifted my spirits and made me feel they really care," Tyson said.

You can support Tyson by donating to the GoFundMe account here.