It's not unusual for a guy turning 50 to want a new set of wheels, but in Luke Caines' case, the desired vehicle is a sporty new wheelchair.

Mr. Caines has cerebral palsy and is one of the longest standing residents at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital's Continuing Care Unit.

The Royal Gazette spoke to Mr. Caines and his sister, Carla Franklin, shortly before Mr. Caines' birthday on Saturday.

"We are planning a special birthday bash for Luke to help raise money for a new wheelchair," said Ms Franklin.

To the uninitiated it may come as somewhat of a shock to learn that a new basic wheelchair – without a motor or electronic gadgets – costs more than $5,000.

"The one I have is getting shaky," said Mr. Caines.

Ms Franklin said her brother has had his current wheelchair for around six years. When the previous one weakened, Mr. Caines fell out of it twice. New wheelchairs don't come cheap, and for the current wheelchair, Ms Franklin was forced to take out a loan.

"Medically the advice is that he needs a manual chair so that he can exercise his arms," said Ms Franklin. "It is like buying a motorcycle and then it is customed to his fit, so he could sit in it comfortably. All people's disabilities are slightly different, so their chairs have to be different."

Mr. Caines was born a premature baby with cerebral palsy. At the time of his birth he was constantly misdiagnosed due to the lack of knowledge of cerebral palsy in the 1960s.

"Doctors told my mother, Shirley Kathleen (Caines) Robinson, every month after he was born and then every year afterward, that he would not survive," said Ms Franklin.

But Mr. Caines did survive, and went on to attend the Friendship Vale School between the ages of eight and 15 years old.

Sadly, his mother died when he was 14. After that he went to live in the Lower Extended Care Unit at KEMH. He has now been there for over 35 years.

Fifty years ago, when Mr. Caines was born, there was no dedicated facility for people in Mr. Caines' condition, and today the situation is not much different.

"At that time and up to now there is no facility on the island for a person like Luke," said Ms Franklin. "Summer Haven was built for persons with physical disabilities, but is for people who are able to mentally control their own lives.

"Luke was never taught to be independent like that and thus had to live at the hospital in the extended care unit which is designed for elderly persons who need extended care."

Shortly after moving to the extended care unit as a child, Mr. Caines went home for a year.

"He had to come back because it was too much for one person to handle," said Ms Franklin.

She said housing a person like Mr. Caines in an extended care unit has been less than ideal.

"He initially shared rooms with elderly persons who eventually died in their beds right beside him," said Ms Franklin.

"I can't handle that," said Mr. Caines.

"He did his best to adapt to this environment," said Ms Franklin. "He would go to the main hospital by asking someone (generally the security guards and staff) to take him to that area in order to see the community who would be there visiting love ones or coming for medical care of their own."

But KEMH put a stop to that when Mr. Caines fell out of his old wheelchair while being pushed around hospital grounds. He is now restricted to the Extended Care Unit.

She said that there are a lot of young people who are disabled whether they are born like that, or get there through accident or illness.

"The ideal facility, would be set up pretty much like the Extended Care Unit but for younger people," said Ms Franklin. "He has been there since he was 14-years-old."

Ms Franklin said there had been several charities and individuals who had helped her brother over the years.

"The one that sticks out the most to me is the Lions Club who would pay for his glasses whenever he needed a new pair," said Ms Caines. "My brother is a kind, generous person who enjoys people of all kinds, he doesn't even forget your name once you have met. He gets so excited to see you that he nearly jumps out of his chair when he sees you coming.

"Every time I would go see him, he would have some type of gift for his family; especially his great nieces and nephew."

She and her family thanked the KEMH staff, their family, friends and charities that have been in Mr. Caines' life over the years.

Ms Franklin invited the public to come to a special birthday party to be held in his honour.

"You can come and enjoy his birthday bash with him and have food, music and fun with his family and friends," said Ms Franklin. At that time, donations would be appreciated for his new wheelchair."

The event will be held at the Bermuda Public Service Union (BPSU) on Saturday at 4 p.m.

For information telephone Ms Franklin at 505-0626 or 299-1655.