Xavier Joubert is growing into a strong young man, but due to his special needs, he would be better able to cope at a specialised facility. Friends and family are working to secure his place there.
South Africa (29 February 2024) – Xavier Joubert is credited as being the quirkiest, coolest guy who loves dinosaurs, creepy creatures, and watching Transformers. He holds a special place in the hearts of many, but as he grows up, he needs to be in an environment where his special needs are best catered to.
Xavier is a 14-year-old young man; he has been diagnosed with Mild Intellectual Disorder (MID) with comorbidities of autism, ADHD, dyspraxia, dyslexia, and dyscalculia. His mom, Tammy, has been raising Xavier and his brother on her own for most of their lives. Tammy is credited as a hero mom by her friends, giving her boys everything they need to thrive.
Xavier’s various conditions mean he needs specialised care, and as he is growing stronger, things are becoming challenging. Tammy has seen a change in his behaviour over the past year, and it has become clear that Xavier needs a specialised living structure to support his special needs, which she cannot offer from their home with her limited resources. They have looked at Woodside Sanctuary, which is their preferred facility.
“He has become a flight and safety risk as whenever he goes out of his home he has the urge to run away, even jump out of a moving car, and this has put a major restriction on the family and their daily life. They simply cannot take him anywhere for fear of him hurting himself.
Thankfully, Woodside Sanctuary in Auckland Park has been identified as a [potentially] suitable home that can provide the level of care Xavier needs to get him through this time of his teenage life.”
Speaking to Tammy, she shared that she hopes to greatly improve Xavier’s quality of life. She explains that 2023 was a very tough year for Xavier; he had several changes in his medications, which added to his angst and then coupled with being kept home to avoid running away, it has been a lot – this move will give him the quality of life he so deserves.
“My boy has been at home since last year, around August/September, due to his wanting to run away and bolt.
His move to Woodside [would be] so that he gets the correct stimulation and structure in a safe environment with people who have the tools and skillsets I can’t translate at home. I cannot bear to see my son waste away at home without the stimulation he requires. And being a single, full time working Mom – I am unable to provide that myself. The manpower/resources to do that with a teenage boy is in itself still hindered by his bolting.”
For the past 69 years, Woodside Sanctuary has provided full-time residential and daycare services to individuals with severe to profound intellectual and physical disabilities.
This sanctuary is vitally important as it offers a space for more than just the residents who call it home. They offer so many services that benefit the lives of people with profound intellectual and physical disabilities, from remedial and stimulation therapy to nursing and physical therapy. They provide nutritional and educational support and so much more.
This is more than a facility; it is a loving, caring and supportive home. The staff who work at Woodside Sanctuary are the only family many of the residents have ever known. The level of care is just phenomenal.
Fees paid to the facility include full access to nursing care and a doctor, access to a psychiatrist, 24-hour-a-day care and treatment, a variety of stimulation programmes such as Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, and Remedial school, access to a social worker, three full meals per day, as well as tea and snacks in between.
The great part is that after 3 months at the sanctuary, residents qualify for grants which are used to subsidise their fees.
“After being at Woodside for 3 months, our residents then qualify to receive two grants, depending on certain criteria. Residents who are South African citizens and are over 18 qualify for the Bed Grant and the SASSA disability grant, which are R5 526 and R2 080 respectively. Residents who are South African citizens and under 18 only qualify for the Bed Grant of R5 526. Any grants received for our residents are deducted from their total fees.” – Loné Lourens, Woodside Sanctuary
Friends set up a BackaBuddy to help Tammy cover the costs of Xavier going to Woodside for one year. The hope is to monitor his progress and ensure that he gets the help and support he needs. This will then help them plan for their future. This move will not be an easy one for the family, but one that will give Xavier his best life.
All funds raised will pay Xavier’s fees for living at Woodside Sanctuary. You can help Xavier get settled into his new home by donating towards his expenses here.
Sources: BackaBuddy / Tammy van Heerden
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