Hi there! My name is Europa!

I’m a 25 year old ambulatory wheelchair user with POTS (Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) and widespread chronic pain.

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a chronic autonomic disorder that causes a rapid heart rate increase when standing or sitting up. This change in blood supply to the brain and heart triggers the heart to beat faster to compensate. POTS is characterised by orthostatic intolerance, meaning symptoms develop when upright and improve when sitting or lying down.

For me, this means that I cannot stand or walk for more than a few minutes at a time. Because of this, I use my wheelchair! My wheelchair has had such an incredible impact on my life so far. It gives me independence and allows me to enjoy my life and my hobbies again.

However, self-propelling can be incredibly tiring, especially with chronic pain. I am often limited as to where I can go, and how long I can be out of the house. Right now, I often have to rely on my companions to push my chair for me.

As a result of this, on bad days or during flare ups (which can sometimes last months) I am unable to self-propel at all. Because I won’t know how I feel until I’m out of the house, I cannot leave the house without a companion present right now. This leaves me house bound frequently.

I would love to raise funds for a Power Assist device for my wheelchair so that I can have greater independence and broaden what I can do! This device attaches to my wheelchair, and it would help power it when my arms grow too tired to self-propel. It’s a piece of medical equipment that I desperately need, and it would let me leave the house unattended. However, the price range for Power assists begins at around £5000, and I would never be able to afford it on my own.

That’s why I’ve begun this fundraiser, and im so grateful for any and all donations towards my fund. Thank you all so much :) <3

The money raised via this fundraiser will go entirely towards a power assist attachment for my wheelchair. I haven’t decided on which power assist I’ll be getting yet, but it’ll likely be a Smartdrive or E-motion motorised wheels.