Evie’s Life-Changing Wheelchair Fund.

Hello and welcome to my Go Fund Me/Crowdfunding page. If you could take 5 minutes to read this, and maybe share, I would be so grateful.

I’m Evie I’m 16 and from Sheffield (UK). I have multiple complex disabilities and have needs in many areas like learning, social + verbal communication, vision, emotions and movement and more. I love many things like watching movies, seeing friends, art, gaming, music and advocating/learning about disabilities and health related things.

I am a full time, non-mobile wheelchair user meaning I cannot stand or walk and struggle to sit and keep my head up unaided. I am fundraising for a new wheelchair which will change my life. It is called a HOGGI Sherpa and it is one of the only wheelchairs that is suitable for my needs and wishes. I require a lot of postural support, and I need tilt in space functions to help with pressure distribution, fatigue and dizziness because I have various physical and medical disorders such as Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, along with Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, and Neurological problems.

To remain comfortable and increase my independence, I would love a chair that enables me to move myself, become stronger and more confident. I am unable to have a power wheelchair due to my seizures and vision difficulties so I am very limited on what chair I can use. Even just being able to propel myself short distances would be incredible for me.

My current NHS provided wheelchair has small back wheels (attendant controlled) so I can’t move myself at all in it. It weighs between 32-54kg, plus the additional weight of my power pack and the HOGGI chair I am fundraising for is 20kg. My current chair is always breaking, parts come loose and the current state of NHS wheelchair services is appalling and neglectful, largely due to funding. My current chair is also bulky and dosen’t represent me which is a shame as it’s like my legs - an extension of me.

Due to how specialised the HOGGI Sherpa chair is (it has significantly better postural support, is highly adjustable for my ever-changing needs, and its high quality to make it able to last me for years), the basic quote is in the several thousands.

Having complex needs means I have many different conditions and require a lot of support. I have always had some of my disabilities but I used to be mobile and even able to run so now being non-mobile and unable to even move myself in my wheelchair, I am focussed on maintaining a positive state of mind but it has been difficult, especially knowing there is a chair out there that can help me become more independent.

I started using mobility aids in 2020/21 and got my first off-the-shelf wheelchair in May 2021. This soon became unsuitable when I became a full-time wheelchair user near the end of 2021 and completely unable to stand or walk in February 2022. Things have progressed since then but currently are staying relatively stable, I currently have moderate-severe physical difficulties and am rated a GMFCS 4 or 5 and I use a wheelchair because of the following issues:

Low and high muscle tone that has progressed over time, leading to being unable to stand or walk and a lot of difficulty sitting and keeping head up unaided.

Dizziness and fainting due to dysautonomia.

Pain, fatigue + subluxations.

I’m not expecting to raise the full amount but any money we can raise will be amazing to say to a charity we can put x amount towards this chair.

What I’m doing?

It hasn’t been an easy decision but setting up a Go Fund Me + Crowd Fundraising.

Bake sales and Christmas markets.

Daily challenge with a pedal bike (arms + legs) which is very hard for me, this will be uploaded to my social media.

Thank you very much for reading. If you are able to donate, thank you so much. If not, if you could share my post instead, I would be very grateful. Evie x