Hi! My name is Cait and I’m fundraising for a sports wheelchair. I joined a wheelchair basketball team called the Rochester Wheels in January and it changed my life. I’ve been wanting to try an adaptive sport for a while, and when I tried basketball, it was a perfect fit.

I am currently borrowing a sports chair once a week at practices. I cannot borrow it outside of practices to be able to practice more at a gym, which I would love to do to increase my strength and skills. I am also dreaming of being able to dance in a sports chair at my upcoming wedding (August 22). Thank you for supporting my dream of having a sports wheelchair!

Some FAQs:

Q: How much do sports wheelchairs cost?

A: They cost about $4,000 each.

Q: Why won’t insurance cover this?

A: Insurance rarely covers sports equipment. I was told that I had a 9/10 chance of being denied. Insurance didn’t even cover my everyday wheelchair, for which I paid about $3,500 out of pocket.

Q: Why aren’t you paying out of pocket for this chair?

A: I am getting married in August, and my money is going towards having a wedding with family and friends. When I started planning my wedding, I’d never used a sports chair, so I didn’t budget for buying one.

Q: Why can’t you use your everyday chair for basketball and dancing?

A: The frame and wheels of my everyday chair are not conducive to sports. They cannot be modified at all.

Q: Have you tried fundraising for your wheelchair before?

A: I have tried fundraising for a $6,000 electric attachment for my wheelchair, several years ago. The amount was not reached and so the money was returned to the generous folks who donated. If my goal is not reached, donations will be returned.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask me!