Help Alex get a wheelchair power assist
Donation protected
Hi, if you don’t know me my name is Alex and I need your help.
When I younger I was diagnosed with a connective tissue disorder called Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. This means that my connective tissue is faulty, causing unstable and painful joints along with many other widespread problems. It was fairly mild throughout my childhood but when I went into high school it started to get worse and cause problems. My joints got more painful, my knees being the worst and I started to get extremely fatigued even after doing the most basic thing.
In 2022 I started having symptoms of Dysautonomia. Dysautonomia is a condition that causes the autonomic nervous system to not function properly. The autonomic nervous system controls all the body’s involuntary functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, temperature and digestion. I started fainting and getting really dizzy. My heart rate was high all the time meaning my fatigue just got worse. I felt awful every single day.
In 2023 I got crutches because my knee pain was becoming unmanageable and I needed something. Then that march I went into a bad flare up where I couldn’t walk for 10 days. After that my overall health continued to get worse throughout the year and by the end of that year I was almost never in school and when I was I couldn’t even manage a full day. I started using my mum’s wheelchair when we’d go out because it was the only way I wouldn’t feel awful and make myself ill afterwards. This was when we decided I needed my own wheelchair.
In February of this year I got my wheelchair and it changed my life. My wheelchair has given me the ability to go out with my friends and family, go to events and get out when I’m in bad flare ups. However I am still unable to get into school frequently, even with my wheelchair. I am unable to go anywhere by myself as after pushing my wheelchair for a while I start to get shoulder pain and exerting myself causes extreme fatigue other symptoms.
Because of this I am in need of a power assist. A power assist would give my wheelchair an extra boost, meaning I wouldn’t have to push as much, causing less symptoms overall. I would be able to get into school more and go places independently. Unfortunately power assists are very expensive and we are unable to find the funds on our own. The specific power assist we are looking at costs around £4500 however this can vary and adapter for my wheelchair costs around £250. Servicing the power assist also brings the cost up.
Any donations to help towards this would be greatly appreciated. Having a power assist would ultimately give me my life back.
Thank you for listening :)
When I younger I was diagnosed with a connective tissue disorder called Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. This means that my connective tissue is faulty, causing unstable and painful joints along with many other widespread problems. It was fairly mild throughout my childhood but when I went into high school it started to get worse and cause problems. My joints got more painful, my knees being the worst and I started to get extremely fatigued even after doing the most basic thing.
In 2022 I started having symptoms of Dysautonomia. Dysautonomia is a condition that causes the autonomic nervous system to not function properly. The autonomic nervous system controls all the body’s involuntary functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, temperature and digestion. I started fainting and getting really dizzy. My heart rate was high all the time meaning my fatigue just got worse. I felt awful every single day.
In 2023 I got crutches because my knee pain was becoming unmanageable and I needed something. Then that march I went into a bad flare up where I couldn’t walk for 10 days. After that my overall health continued to get worse throughout the year and by the end of that year I was almost never in school and when I was I couldn’t even manage a full day. I started using my mum’s wheelchair when we’d go out because it was the only way I wouldn’t feel awful and make myself ill afterwards. This was when we decided I needed my own wheelchair.
In February of this year I got my wheelchair and it changed my life. My wheelchair has given me the ability to go out with my friends and family, go to events and get out when I’m in bad flare ups. However I am still unable to get into school frequently, even with my wheelchair. I am unable to go anywhere by myself as after pushing my wheelchair for a while I start to get shoulder pain and exerting myself causes extreme fatigue other symptoms.
Because of this I am in need of a power assist. A power assist would give my wheelchair an extra boost, meaning I wouldn’t have to push as much, causing less symptoms overall. I would be able to get into school more and go places independently. Unfortunately power assists are very expensive and we are unable to find the funds on our own. The specific power assist we are looking at costs around £4500 however this can vary and adapter for my wheelchair costs around £250. Servicing the power assist also brings the cost up.
Any donations to help towards this would be greatly appreciated. Having a power assist would ultimately give me my life back.
Thank you for listening :)
Organizer
Rebecca Rodley
Organizer
England, ENG