Isaiah's Journey

UPDATE: Shannon & myself (Jan) would like to thank everyone who has donated and/or shared Isaiah’s story and the GoFundMe. You all are making a difference in achieving the goal of a van to get Isaiah out and about with ease. Thank you so much! Lots of fundraising is going to be happening over the next few weeks. It takes a village and we are certainly happy you are part of Isaiah’s!

Hi, our names are Jan Cibart & Shannon Seitz We are both fortunate enough to work with Isaiah. Jan has been Isaiah's nurse for the past 6 years. Shannon has worked as Isaiah's EA at Legacy Park Elementary School in Weyburn, since September.

Isaiah's proud parents are Janelle and Ken Evans . He has an older brother Liam and a younger sister Grace. They live on a farm just outside of Weyburn.

This is Isaiah’s medical information as provided by his mother, Janelle Evans:

“Isaiah was born with multiple dislocations and severely clubbed feet. Currently, he can’t even wear shoes, let alone place weight on his feet. His knees are dislocated and so is his right hip. He also has severe scoliosis. Isaiah will never be able to walk. He has undergone many surgeries on his legs and spine to aid him as he develops, his wheelchair is his permanent source of transport.

Isaiah also has an abnormal airway so he has had a trach since 2 months of age. At night when he is sleeping he needs a special machine to give him more support so he doesn’t stop breathing. He is also on oxygen 24 hours a day. His list of equipment is long

and it needs to be taken with him everywhere he goes.

Though the list of Isaiah’s physical abnormalities is overwhelming to say the least, his mind is brilliant. He is like any other 7 year old boy who wants to wander the toy aisle at Walmart, go for sleepovers at his grandparents’, attend any event his big brother is in, and go on adventures. His love for life is contagious.”

Isaiah has never had a formal diagnosis. He displays a variety of atypical and unique features exclusive to him. If they named his condition, it would be named after him.

About the fundraiser:

Every single day, across the country, parents buckle their kids into car seats and booster seats. They do this knowing that they’re taking the proper steps to keep their kids safe while traveling.

For Isaiah and his family, traveling safely is not quite so simple. Isaiah currently travels laying across the bench seat in the family van, because his wheelchair will not fit in a standard vehicle. Instead, his family has to lay him down to accommodate his complex medical needs. It is incredibly frustrating for him and a physical challenge for his adults as he needs to be lifted in and out of their vehicle.

Until a few weeks ago we did not know that there is a better option for Isaiah - but courtesy of our local Ford dealership there is!!

Ford Canada has a medical transit version of their family model van. With it, Isaiah could travel safely with room to accommodate his medical equipment and wheelchair. Isaiah requires frequent trips to Saskatoon to meet with his medical team and this van would make that a much easier and more comfortable travelling experience. This would allow Isaiah to attend events in the community and travel with his family.

Unfortunately, the cost of one of the custom medical vans from Ford is prohibitive. That’s where you come in.

With this GoFundMe we hope to offset the cost of the van and get Isaiah where he needs to go safely. If you’re able to contribute, please do. And whether you can contribute or not, please share this so we can make a difference for our favourite farm kid!

Together with family and friends we are raising money for Isaiah Evans. The funds will be used to purchase a fully accessible van for the Evans family.

Thank you in advance for all your support!