A young woman living with a lifelong illness that leaves her prone to seizures has criticized the ridiculous reason she has been denied access to Centrelink.
Victorian woman Brooke Wilson, 26, suffers from epilepsy and her condition worsened after she was diagnosed with Covid.
He now suffers from status epilepticus, a medical condition in which a person experiences a seizure for five minutes, or several in the same period of time, without regaining consciousness between episodes.
His last big episode was on Halloween while he was having drinks with his father in a pub when he suddenly collapsed convulsing on the floor.
Wilson had already been through two 10-minute-long episodes by the time an ambulance was able to reach the pub and take her to hospital.
As a result, the 26-year-old lost her driver’s license for the second time, forcing her to rely on Uber to get around due to the lack of public transportation in her area.
The cost costs him $100, since he uses the ride-sharing service every time he has to travel to and from work.
Ms Wilson submitted a mobility grant application to Centrelink to help pay costs when she was rejected on a technicality.
Centrelink has denied access to mobility support to a young woman suffering from epilepsy, Brooke Wilson (pictured), despite having her driving license revoked.
“They have determined that I am not entitled to any transportation support because I do not have a disability but rather a chronic illness,” he wrote. GoFundMe page.
Ms Wilson’s fundraising page, which asked for $1,150 to cover her travel during shifts over the holiday period, added that the denial had left her in a “very difficult situation”.
“Unfortunately my application was rejected, even though my condition was serious enough to limit my mobility,” he wrote.
‘This has left me in a very difficult situation, especially because I cannot always depend on my relatives to take me.
“I feel the burden of asking my loved ones to drive me, as I am aware of the cost of fuel and the cost of living.”
He added that while he is doing his best to “adapt to these new circumstances,” he is still struggling to cover travel expenses.
“Your donation, no matter how small, will make a big difference and help me maintain my independence during this difficult time,” Ms Wilson wrote.
A Department of Social Services spokesperson said a mobility grant is for people with a disability, illness or injury who “are unable to use public transportation without substantial assistance and must travel for approved activities.”
“It’s not just for people with a defined disability, people with chronic illnesses may also be eligible,” the spokesperson told Yahoo.
“To be eligible, an income support recipient applying for a mobility grant must submit a medical report from their doctor confirming that they are unable to use public transport without substantial assistance.”
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the department for comment.