Let's Help Derin for Her Mobility

We are hoping to raise funds to purchase a wheelchair-accessible van for our friend Demet Dulkara. We met Demet since 2016, when she moved to the US for her daughter's medical needs, and we have since then developed a deep friendship with her. Demet’s van broke down early in January and is unfortunately beyond repair. She urgently needs another vehicle to meet the needs of her disabled child, Derin.

Without a van, Demet and Derin are immobilized. Derin requires a special wheelchair at all times, making transportation exceedingly difficult. Using public transportation means taking several hours for Demet to bring Derin to doctors’ appointments and physical therapy sessions. A wheelchair-accessible van is essential to Demet and Derin's lives.

Let's help our friend Demet and her daughter Derin by purchasing a wheelchair-accessible van.

Demet and Derin's Story

Demet is an amazing mother whose journey started in Turkey with the birth of her beautiful daughter Derin. Derin has a rare genetic disease called Angelman Syndrome, for which treatment is almost nonexistent in Turkey. Demet came to Boston in 2016 to seek proper medical treatment for Derin, who has been under the care of Mass General Hospital since. With MGH's care and the community's support, Derin’s health has stabilized, and she is now attending CASE Collaborative, a special-needs school in Bedford. Even with these improvements, Derin will always require full-time care and support. While Derin attended school, Demet earned a certification in phlebotomy from MassBay Community College allowing her to work several part-time jobs to support Derin. Against all odds, Demet has provided a better life for herself and her child. However, buying a wheelchair-accessible van, which would allow Demet and her daughter accessible transportation, is beyond Demet's means. Let's help her overcome this hurdle and continue her journey with one less thing to worry about.

With your generous support, we can purchase a wheelchair-accessible van for Demet and Derin. We will use the donated amount for purchasing the van, doing necessary fixes for a safe driving, the expenses related to title transfer, inspection, insurance and registration. The funds will be transferred to the bank account of New England Care Wings Foundation (NECWF), and then be used to pay for the van-related expenses. Please feel free to reach Elif ([email redacted]), treasurer of the NECWF, with any questions and documentation about how/when your donations have been used.

Thank you for your contributions.

Elif Sisli Ciamarra, Tulin Ay, Ruhan Inanoglu