Hi guys, I'm Charlie's Auntie Em.

As many of you know, when Charlie was 16 months old, my sister Becky and her husband, Trevor, put her to bed as a happy and healthy toddler, only for her to wake up paralyzed from the neck down by the morning.

Since July 5th, 2018, we continue to normalize Charlie's life the best we can. This means that sometimes they have to fight for basic rights and tools to aid her independence.

Charlotte is neurotypical and never lets her disability get in the way.

Due to Charlie being a quadriplegic, she can't feed herself. She was able to try out a device called an "Obi". Obi allows users to select between four compartments of food and command when the food is captured and delivered to the mouth. Obi is controlled by any part of the body that can activate a switch. This simple and intuitive operation helps users to be in control.

This device would be life changing for Charlie because it will allow her to feed herself in order to give her that independence that she wants and for us to witness.

As Charlie ages, her medical equipment changes due to her growth. This means that Charlie will eventually need more advanced technology to fit her needs. The Obi is the first step of many medical equipment that will be needed to continue her independence.

Unfortunately, it has been a constant battle with insurance companies which means that everything is an out of pocket expense for them.

The financial burden of the medical world is not something we wish on anyone but for their family, it's just apart of their life. We are hoping we can get our sweet Charlie girl the equipment that she needs.

Any amount is greatly appreciated to help with Charlie's growth and independence and as always, we thank each and every one of you for your kindness and generosity.

If you would like to read more about my nieces story and to get updates, you can visit the Facebook page "Life's Book; Charlie's Chapter".