HELP SENIOR WOMAN GET NEW MEDICAL EQUIPMENT - WHEELCHAIR

UPDATE: Beverley has been hospitalized due to serious medical complications directly related to being stuck in bed. She developed an infection through her urinary tract because she has to sit in the bed for everything including relieving herself. It was luckily caught by her daughter but it took a serious impact on her health. Symptoms of the infection include delirium, shaking, seizures and more. A few days into being hospitalized she got the bad news that production on her wheelchair could not proceed because the cost changed from what

she was initially quoted over a year ago.

She received an updated quote for the cost of parts and production so now she is still raising money to hopefully get her chair soon!

She is currently still in the hospital being monitored. We don't have word on a release date yet.

My name is Beverley and I'm fundraising to help get a new wheelchair and medical equipment such as a ceiling lift and bathroom commode chair. I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2006 and my mobility has gotten progressively worse ever since. I now no longer have the ability to stand or walk on my own, as well as the inability to use my hands/arms to feed myself, write etc. I have been completely dependant on my wheelchair to get around for over 15 years now and my current chair has been broken down and not functional at all for almost 2 years now.

Also I have been using my current ceiling lift for over 13 years and it is constantly breaking down and stopping while I'm using it--including while I'm in the air, which is dangerous.

Without my chair I am bed ridden, which has caused me to develop bed sores, hospital visits due to poor circulation and blood clotting, and has taken the last bit of independence I had away from me, because my wheelchair acted as my legs, it's was truly an extension of me.

My wheelchair was custom fitted to my body and unique needs because of my disability, and pain levels. It allowed me to drive the chair with the head array control because my hands are unable to operate the joystick. With this control I could also raise and lower the leg rests and adjust the way I sat on the chair to keep my circulation moving and to avoid sores from sitting in one way for too long. Unfortunately none of these functions are working and the wheelchair will no longer turn on. I had a technician come for possibly repair the chair, but it needs too many parts and because it's old it needs to be completely replaced.

For some people in Ontario funding for medical devices is offered, which is how I got her existing wheelchair but I have been informed that unfortunately I'm no longer eligible for funding at this time. I am 69 years old and because I'm over 65 I'm also ineligible for Disability funding as their cut off is 65 years of age.

I have been suffering for the last few months, and I've been bed-ridden since before the 2023 holidays and it would mean a lot to me if I had your help to get some new and functioning medical equipment and back in a wheelchair as soon as possible!