Meet Crystal and Beckett. Crystal is a single mom (by choice) to an almost 5-year-old boy, Beckett. Beckett was born 10 weeks early weighing 3 and a half pounds, following medical complications with Crystal. At 4 days old Doctors discovered he had serious bleeding in his brain. This contributed to a permanent brain disorder called Cerebral Palsy, which affects body movements and muscle coordination. At 2 weeks old Beckett had his first brain surgery to insert a fluid collection reservoir into his brain. Fluid was extracted daily from the reservoir with a syringe to keep excess pressure off his brain. During these early weeks in the hospital, Beckett was given the nickname, “Mini but Mighty Boss Baby Beckett the Braveheart Warrior”. This big nickname for such a small baby proved to be a foreshadowing of the battles that lay ahead of him. A second brain surgery to insert a permanent VP shunt was done at 10 weeks old because his body was not draining the fluid on its own. This will drain the excess fluid for the rest of his life. Any complication with this shunt is a medical emergency. That fear became a reality when Beckett was 6 months old and again when he was 3 years old when his shunt failed both times resulting in emergency surgeries to repair.

As Beckett continues to grow, there are still many unknowns about how independent his future will be. His needs are substantial and include a variety of specialized equipment, such as adaptive seating, standing and mobility equipment and orthotic splints. Crystal is grateful to receive program funding that covers most of these essentials, however, several significant and necessary expenses are only partially covered or not at all.

Hospital visits and therapy sessions are a routine part of Beckett’s life. Each month he may have one or more appointments with specialists at BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver. Transporting Beckett and his mobility aids, such as his adaptive stroller or wheelchair have become challenging as he grows. To meet these evolving needs, Crystal recently purchased a new van with the intention of converting it for wheelchair accessibility. Unfortunately, older vans can not be modified and finding low-mileage pre-owned accessible vans was a challenge. While Crystal had been budgeting for a few years, the large, additional cost of the conversion is a financial stressor for her. The cost of a wheelchair-accessible conversion ranges from $45,000-$65,000 which presents Crystal with a significant financial hurdle. Crystal has applied to Charities for financial assistance, and if selected she may receive between $5000-$12,000 towards the van conversion. Crystal has also been saving and asking friends and neighbours to donate their recyclable bottles to her to set the money aside for help with conversion costs.

Beckett is perseverant and proud of himself with each accomplishment he meets. He is living out his big nickname and winning battles he faces daily. He shares his zest for life and full heart with Crystal daily with giggles, belly laughs and full-face smiles.

Crystal and Beckett’s extended family is reaching out on their behalf to ask for your support. Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a meaningful difference in helping Crystal provide the best possible care and safe transportation for Beckett. Thank you in advance for helping support this very worthwhile and necessary cause.