“My new wheelchair has given me the freedom to get outdoors and make memories with my family”

When Bobbie's health suddenly deteriorated two years ago, life changed dramatically for her and her family. Thanks to the support from the RAF Benevolent Fund, Bobbie has regained her independence and is able to enjoy time outdoors with her family once more.

Bobbie, whose husband Alex serves as a Corporal at RAF Marham, had always led an active life. But after becoming seriously unwell two years ago, she was diagnosed with severe ME and fibromyalgia, alongside living with Type 1 diabetes. This means that Bobbie experiences chronic fatigue alongside other debilitating symptoms.

Bobbie explained: "Any stress, whether physical or mental, can cause my body to shut down. I become extremely poorly and exhausted. At one point, my husband was carrying me upstairs to bed every night."

Alex, who has served in the RAF for nine years and has spent much of his career deployed away from home, suddenly found himself balancing military service with caring responsibilities for his wife and their four children.

Bobbie said: "The RAF have been absolutely fantastic. Alex hasn't had to be away once since I became unwell. They have been so supportive, giving him flexible hours so he can do the school run and help look after me and the children. It's taken away a huge amount of worry."

Bobbie was first connected to the RAF Benevolent Fund through SSAFA, who had been supporting the family and helping them navigate the challenges they faced. "SSAFA helped us with support for the children and pointed Alex in the right direction for advice. They then suggested we speak to the Fund.

"My old wheelchair was causing me problems. I kept falling out of it, and every trip out was stressful. But I wasn’t sure anyone would be able to help as it was such a lot of money.”

Following an assessment in early 2026, the Fund provided Bobbie with a specialist, tailor-made wheelchair worth £15,000.

"My new chair is incredible. It's completely tailor-made for me. The wheels are huge, and I can get over every type of terrain. I can go up hills and down tracks, and I've not got stuck once.”

She added: "I can actually relax in it. Before, all my energy went into simply getting around. Now I can look around, enjoy being outside, and spend time with my family without constantly worrying."

For Bobbie, the greatest difference has been being able to enjoy simple family moments again. "We took the children down to the river and along tracks I hadn't been able to go down in years. I could watch the kids play and our dogs run around. It made me cry because I just wouldn't have been able to do that before."

She continued: "Being able to walk the dogs with my family is a huge deal. When the children want to run off and play, I can follow them. We don't have to plan every journey anymore. The freedom is amazing."

Living with an invisible illness can often feel extremely isolating. Bobbie said: "From the outside, people might not think there's anything wrong with me. I've always been quite strong, and I don't like asking for help. I found it embarrassing because people can't always see how debilitating the condition is."

Before receiving support, Bobbie says she often felt she was letting her family down. "I felt like I was failing as a mum. Now we can go wherever we like. The chair has made a huge difference to my mental wellbeing because I'm able to get outdoors again."

This summer, Bobbie and her family attended RAF Marham’s Families Day. She said: "I nearly didn't go because I had really low energy before we left, but I made it there in my new chair and it was incredible. I was showing it off to everyone because I was so proud of it."

Bobbie says the support from the RAF Benevolent Fund has transformed life for the whole family. She said: "On the days when I am feeling better, we can make memories together as a family. That's what matters. I honestly can't think how this support could have meant any more to us. It has changed all of our lives tremendously."

Bobbie wants anyone in need of support to reach out to the Fund. "Please don't be embarrassed and don't think you don't deserve support. I nearly didn't ask for help. Just have the conversation because you never know what support might be available. Reaching out was one of the best things I ever did."