Since raising money for mobile arm supports, 18-year-old Tomasz can now once again lift his arms up to do things like feed himself, pick up his phone and give someone a hug. He explains the independence this has given him and how he crowdfunded for the equipment.
“I can brush my own teeth again thanks to mobile arm supports”
When you’re a kid, you don’t think twice about lifting a cup, brushing your teeth, or picking up your phone. But for me, those small, ordinary moments slowly became impossible. I have Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a muscle wasting condition that weakens the body over time. By the age of ten, I’d already lost the ability to walk, and as I got older, even using my arms became harder. What used to be effortless — lifting a spoon, scratching my head, typing — started to slip away. I never stopped hoping there might be something out there that could help me move freely again, but I didn’t expect that hope to come from something as simple as crowdfunding and physics.
Finding the answer to my independence
I’m 18 now, so have very limited strength. My family have tried different types of equipment over the years, but nothing seemed to work well for me. They were either uncomfortable, too bulky, or just not practical for real life.
Then one of my occupational therapists mentioned Rahana Life, which creates bionic-style arm supports. I had the chance to try one, and it was honestly life changing. For the first time in years, I could lift a cup to my mouth on my own. I could brush my teeth. It sounds small, but it was huge. That feeling of independence was incredible. However, my OT also advised us that it would be hard to get enough funding for the arm supports through charities, so she suggested crowdfunding and we decided to go for it.
We set up a GoFundMe page to raise the £18,000 needed for the arm supports and started by sharing it with close family and friends. We expected it to take months to raise that kind of money, but soon my school got involved in helping to spread the word. I’ll never forget how quickly people responded. The kindness and generosity of people — some we didn’t even know — was overwhelming, and we raised the money in under a week!
Physics is amazing
Once the funds were raised, the next challenge was fitting the arm supports to my Permobil F5 wheelchair, which can put me in a standing position. Because of that feature, the Rahana team had to custom-fit everything — adding metal reinforcements and new wiring so I could use the supports while sitting or standing. It took a few attempts to get it just right, but now they work perfectly.
The system itself isn’t robotic; it’s actually powered by physics. There’s a spring mechanism inside that balances the weight of my arm. When I move down, the spring pushes gently upward, taking away the strain of gravity. It’s such a simple idea, but the effect is massive.
Before the supports, I couldn’t hold my phone, lift a cup, or remove the table from my wheelchair without help. Now I can do all those things and more. My upper body strength and range of motion have at least doubled. It’s not just about movement; it’s about confidence.
Gaining more than movement
At 18, you want to feel like everyone else. I’m now at Strathclyde University, studying Software Engineering. Being able to type, use my mouse and work without constant help means everything. It’s given me freedom, dignity and a sense of normalcy I thought I’d lost.
But I also know many others with muscle-wasting conditions who could benefit from the same technology. The problem is, they often don’t know this kind of equipment exists, or they assume it’s out of reach financially. Charities and the NHS can’t always fund it, and in the UK, the technology isn’t very well known yet, even though it’s more common in places like Germany.
That’s why I wanted to share my story. Crowdfunding changed my life. It gave me back my independence and showed me how kind and generous people can be. If you or someone you know is living with Duchenne or another muscle wasting condition, don’t be afraid to explore crowdfunding. There are so many people out there who want to help. And trust me, when you finally get that small bit of independence back, it feels like the biggest victory in the world.
The right equipment in your home can be life-changing
We know that finding the funding can be tough, and support from the NHS or local councils can vary widely depending on where you live. That’s why we’ve created our new Home Equipment Grant Fund, providing essential home equipment for people living with a muscle wasting condition.
