Keep Kelly Rolling
Donation protected
To everyone reading this – please find it in your hearts to help! This GoFundMe campaign is being set up to help my dear friend, Kelly, purchase a new power wheelchair. Here is her story:
I would like to introduce you to an amazing woman. I have known Kelly her entire life. To avoid a big sob story, which is not the reason for this GoFundMe campaign, I would like to focus on Kelly’s accomplishments.
She has had an uphill battle since the day she was born. To give you a quick look at that battle, Kelly was born completely Deaf, and with Torticollis (shortened neck cord), has JRA (Juvenile Rhumatoid Arthritis), Fibromyalgia, severe asthma and chronic pleurisy, and due to a Spinal Cord Injury is now an “incomplete” quadriplegic, simply put she is unable to stand for any length of time, or walk for more than 20 feet without forearm crutches. For the past 2 years Kelly has had to battle BREAST CANCER, resulting in 3 surgeries in that length of time. The most recent one was completed on August 31 of this year. Kelly is still healing from the more than 50 stitches across her chest, and suffering from the first 2 surgeries which had not completely healed prior to this surgery. That being said, Kelly is officially CANCER FREE CONGRATULATIONS KELLY.!!!
I said Kelly was amazing, so let’s get to that part. Kelly has accumulated 11 college/university degrees, is fluent in a number of languages as well can read and translate a total of 13 languages. She volunteers her time with the online club “stamporama.com” where she writes articles for newspapers, (three, I believe), translates Historic Philatelic Articles from French and German for them and has also been published.
The saddest thing is that according to the recent debate, it is said that over 44% of educated disabled Canadians are unemployed. Employers (although the laws state otherwise), simply won’t spend the money required to make necessary accommodations for someone who is disabled let alone someone who has multiple disabilities. Since Kelly is Deaf she needs an interpreter if in the work force, so the employers give the attitude why should I pay 2 people when I can pay one. So she always gets the “We will call you” routine when applying for positions.
Unfortunately, Kelly’s disabilities require her to have a power wheelchair with tilt capabilities. These run approximately $18,000 - $20,000 dollars. Her first power chair (for 8 years) was purchased using private grants that are only allowable one time, so she no longer qualifies. I know, why can’t she get the government to help? The government assistance program provides high technology wheelchairs through CEP (Central Equipment Pool), which is a program that provides recycled chairs, under one vendor and require an Occupational Therapist (OT) to approve (which Kelly doesn’t have one nor does she need one) and will take until spring of next year to get approved IF the OT approves her request. Her current chair is 8 years old and from CEP, having many parts replaced numerous times, its electronics are viable for 6 hours maximum and will NOT survive more than another month or two.
Therefore, this fundraiser is to raise enough money so that Kelly is able to continue to be independent with her chair and service dog.
Please find it in your hearts to donate. Whether you donate .50 , $50, or $5000, it will all help. I personally challenge my large family to donate anything, but if each of us just donated something it would help.
I would like to introduce you to an amazing woman. I have known Kelly her entire life. To avoid a big sob story, which is not the reason for this GoFundMe campaign, I would like to focus on Kelly’s accomplishments.
She has had an uphill battle since the day she was born. To give you a quick look at that battle, Kelly was born completely Deaf, and with Torticollis (shortened neck cord), has JRA (Juvenile Rhumatoid Arthritis), Fibromyalgia, severe asthma and chronic pleurisy, and due to a Spinal Cord Injury is now an “incomplete” quadriplegic, simply put she is unable to stand for any length of time, or walk for more than 20 feet without forearm crutches. For the past 2 years Kelly has had to battle BREAST CANCER, resulting in 3 surgeries in that length of time. The most recent one was completed on August 31 of this year. Kelly is still healing from the more than 50 stitches across her chest, and suffering from the first 2 surgeries which had not completely healed prior to this surgery. That being said, Kelly is officially CANCER FREE CONGRATULATIONS KELLY.!!!
I said Kelly was amazing, so let’s get to that part. Kelly has accumulated 11 college/university degrees, is fluent in a number of languages as well can read and translate a total of 13 languages. She volunteers her time with the online club “stamporama.com” where she writes articles for newspapers, (three, I believe), translates Historic Philatelic Articles from French and German for them and has also been published.
The saddest thing is that according to the recent debate, it is said that over 44% of educated disabled Canadians are unemployed. Employers (although the laws state otherwise), simply won’t spend the money required to make necessary accommodations for someone who is disabled let alone someone who has multiple disabilities. Since Kelly is Deaf she needs an interpreter if in the work force, so the employers give the attitude why should I pay 2 people when I can pay one. So she always gets the “We will call you” routine when applying for positions.
Unfortunately, Kelly’s disabilities require her to have a power wheelchair with tilt capabilities. These run approximately $18,000 - $20,000 dollars. Her first power chair (for 8 years) was purchased using private grants that are only allowable one time, so she no longer qualifies. I know, why can’t she get the government to help? The government assistance program provides high technology wheelchairs through CEP (Central Equipment Pool), which is a program that provides recycled chairs, under one vendor and require an Occupational Therapist (OT) to approve (which Kelly doesn’t have one nor does she need one) and will take until spring of next year to get approved IF the OT approves her request. Her current chair is 8 years old and from CEP, having many parts replaced numerous times, its electronics are viable for 6 hours maximum and will NOT survive more than another month or two.
Therefore, this fundraiser is to raise enough money so that Kelly is able to continue to be independent with her chair and service dog.
Please find it in your hearts to donate. Whether you donate .50 , $50, or $5000, it will all help. I personally challenge my large family to donate anything, but if each of us just donated something it would help.
Organizer
Sarah Fleming
Organizer
New Tecumseth, ON