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IF GRANTED his wish, 12-year-old Jordan Augustin would want to continue living in his family's "dream home" in Bukit Timah's Hillcrest Villa.
But the four-storey terrace unit is currently up for sale, even though the Augustins moved in only this January.
Jordan, a Primary 5 pupil at St Joseph's Institution Junior, has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy - a degenerative muscle disease that will cause his muscles to weaken as he gets older.
That means he has trouble navigating the staircases of the 2,982 sq ft house. The Augustins previously lived in a one-storey apartment in the same area, and are now seeking a one-storey rental house or apartment.
When my paper visited the family's home yesterday, the happy-go-lucky boy played down the difficulties he faces. He said shyly: "I actually like living in this place... It's just one flight of stairs (so it's not that tough)."
Jordan's parents - emcee and former radio personality Joe Augustin, 41, and self-employed marketer Adele, 38 - added that Jordan had initially reassured them that he would get by, crawling up the stairs if he had to.
Mr Augustin said: "We looked into installing a stair lift but, because of the layout of the house, it wasn't quite feasible... We also don't want to risk him falling and hurting himself."
Currently, Jordan - who was diagnosed with the condition around age six - makes his way to his second-floor bedroom by taking the stairs one at a time.
Mr Augustin carries Jordan upstairs when he is too tired.
Associate Professor Lee Kim En, a senior consultant and head of the department of neurology at the National Neuroscience Institute, said the Augustins' decision to move to a single-level home is a good one.
"While there are limited therapeutic options for such genetic conditions, every parent will want to do the best for his child (which the Augustins are doing)," said Prof Lee, adding that the condition is a serious one.
"By age 15, Jordan may need a lot of support in terms of getting around," said Prof Lee.
For now, Jordan undergoes weekly physiotherapy, and only requires a wheelchair when going out for extended periods.
As for the house, though there has been "good interest" from potential buyers, Mr Augustin has not received an offer to match his $2.85-million asking price, which is less than what he paid for the house in 2007.
Still, he said that he and his wife are hoping to move out with Jordan and his three sisters - Megan, 14; Tasmin, nine; and Lauren, five - in the next few months. They are holding off on buying a new place for now.
Mrs Augustin added: "The next house we buy will probably be for the long term, and we'll have to modify it to suit Jordan... We might need to make sure we're near the secondary school he ends up in."
Meanwhile, the Augustins, as well as Jordan, are keeping their spirits up.
"Life is about making the best of every opportunity, and Jordan is very much about life and enjoying life," Mr Augustin said.
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