Friends rally round to help Doncaster dad who lost both his legs buy new wheelchair

Father-of-two Chris Clarke, aged 45, from Dunscroft, has endured an astonishing seven operations in just three months, including a triple heart bypass, the removal of part of his bowel and both his legs being amputated.

Now Neil Dunn, also aged 45, an old schoolmate of his from Hatfield High School, is hoping to make his friend's drastically different life a bit easier by getting him the £5,000 specialist wheelchair he desperately needs.

He said: “Chris is having a really rough time of it at the moment. It is like they have just kept all his bad luck and chucked it together.

“We kept in touch on Facebook after he moved to Southampton but three weeks ago I heard he was in Doncaster hospital and had both his legs amputated.

“After he leaves hospital he will be moving back in with his mum and dad for a bit but eventually plans to get a bungalow on his own.

“So he’s got enough on his plate without having to find five or six grand for a wheelchair.”

Diabetes sufferer Chris initially got gangrene in his toes which then spread, leading to him having both legs amputated above the knee.

He then also developed internal bleeding and had part of his bowel removed, and also had to have a triple heart bypass because of his family’s history of coronary problems.

To pay for Chris’ new wheelchair, Neil has set up an online funding page, and is also planning a sponsored walk, a 10 mile run, a 100 mile bike ride and a charity night at the Broadway Hotel in Hatfield on Sunday, October 13.

The night will feature a tombola with prizes such as signed football shirts and boxing gloves.

The online fundraising page set up by Neil already stands at almost £1,000 after 39 people donated, with the initial target set at £5,000.

To find out more or donate, www.gofundme.com/f/get-chris-clarke-specialist-wheelchair.