New bedroom and wet room for Mansfield Town fan with rare neurological condition after fundraiser launched

More than £14,000 has been raised for 15-year-old super Stags fan Jak Norman from Kirkby for a new bedroom and wet room.

The Mansfield Town super fan’s family wanted to build a downstairs bedroom and wet room to help Jak live more independently.

Jak was diagnosed with the rare Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease, a progressive neurological condition causing impaired movement and cognitive ability, at the age of 9.

His parents said they first noticed something was wrong when he was a toddler.

Jak’s occupational therapist applied two years ago for funding for an adapted bedroom and wet room to be built to maintain his independence as his condition progresses.

As Ashfield Council can only subsidise £50,000 of the £63,500 cost, the family needed £13,500 to cover the cost.

The GoFundMe page – https://shorturl.at/iBDI8 – has now surpassed its target.

Kim Norman, Jak’s mum, said: “We as a family are blown away.

“What fabulous kind people you all are.

“We hope one day to pay this forward and help someone as all you guys are helping us in our hour of need.

“Each and every donation has the upmost respect and gratitude from our family, thank you.”

The bedroom and wet room are currently being built in the form of an outhouse on the family's front driveway, with plans for the room to be adapted with a specialist bed and hoist.

The family are "beyond grateful" for the donations received through the fundraising page.