Help Hannah Isabel to buy a new wheelchair

Hi - I’m Anne-Marie and I’m raising funds to help my 23 year old daughter Hannah to buy a new wheelchair.

My daughter has had type 1 diabetes since the age of two but additionally developed other autoimmune conditions in her teens. She is dependent on a continuous supply of insulin, provided by a pump, and is reliant on essential medications for her other conditions. Hannah has been using a wheelchair for several years but her current one is child sized and no longer meets her needs. Also, it is not a crash tested model, which means it is unsafe to sit in whilst travelling in a wheelchair adapted vehicle as a passenger. The need for a new suitable wheelchair is now urgent.

Hannah’s complex medical needs leave her completely reliant on a wheelchair. She is mostly housebound but would like to have the independence to be able to leave the house occasionally in a safe manner without aggravating her symptoms. The town where we live has many unevenly sloped pavements which cause her current wheelchair to camber and tip over easily. This means that when she goes out she has to follow a longer route than necessary to arrive safely at destinations or rely on expensive cabs.

The new powered wheelchair will be foldable and has bigger rear wheels which will make it more stable. It also reclines and has head & neck support with the ability to raise her legs when needed. The reclining feature (which the current one does not have) is important as Hannah has PoTS, a type of autonomic dysfunction that causes tachycardia and dizziness. This type of chair will also help to manage the fatigue she experiences from her adrenal insufficiency and seizures.

Hannah also has inflammatory arthritis in her lower spine, pelvis & knees. To help relieve pain whilst mobilising the new chair will have some additional features added to it such as a wrap around backrest, deeper seat cushion and spongy front wheels. There is a lot to consider when finding and buying a suitable wheelchair!

Sadly, as many others have found, the waiting times for an NHS wheelchair assessment are many months and often over a year. We experienced this situation a few years ago when Hannah needed her first wheelchair. It is also rare to obtain the type of chair that one needs as NHS funding is basic. Most people are excluded from obtaining a powered wheelchair and have to depend upon a carer to push them or have the ability to self-propel a manual chair themselves. Hannah does not have anyone to reliably push her when needed and I am also a wheelchair user myself so cannot do this. She is unable to self-propel due to her conditions.

The chair, the add-ons, insurance and extended warranty will cost approximately £4000. This will make such a difference to Hannah in giving her a safer way to mobilise as well as increasing her independence and ability to participate in society. We would be incredibly grateful if you’re able to help us to raise sufficient funds for the wheelchair that Hannah really needs by contributing towards this fundraiser and sharing her story.