So when his mother Ruth Pietzsch was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis just two days after he underwent the chop, he turned his fundraising attention closer to home.

On Thursday, the grade six student held a “skate and scoot” day at Mt Clear Primary School to raise funds for MS research.

Junior SRC coordinator Sam Cooper said Ryan, 12, came up with the fundraising idea himself. 

“Ryan came to me with the idea to raise money through a “wheels day” which we’ve had in the past as a reward thing,” Mr Cooper said.

Ryan said he was inspired by his daily transport mode.

“I take my scooter to school every day anyway and I had the idea to run the “skate and scoot” day for mum,” Ryan said.

Students gave a gold coin donation to bring their roller blades, scooters, skates, bikes, skateboards and even a remote control car to school, with obstacle courses set up initially outside and then inside due to the inclement weather. 

Setting a goal of $250, Ryan ended up raising $450, with a guess the lollies jar proving popular as well.

Ms Pietzsch said her illness initially began with eye problems and slurred speech, plus memory loss, dizziness, hot flashes and numbness in her legs.

“I went to the doctor on the Monday and I was in hospital by the Thursday night,” she said. She has been treated with medications and has just started taking the new MS drug Lemtrada.

She added she was “really proud” of Ryan and his fundraising efforts.