Help Emma Regain her Quality of Life
Donation protected
A walk in the countryside or a park is taken for granted by most people. Pop on some sturdy shoes and find a nice green space to walk in. As a disabled person, Emma hasn’t been able to do this for many years now. Emma misses green spaces, the smell of a forest and just being able to enjoy nature. Emma needs assistance everywhere she goes.
Emma can’t strap on a pair of boots and go out; she needs someone with her who knows her condition just to be able to get out of the house safely. The NHS supplied wheelchairs are okay if your pavements are flat and there are no bumps on the paths. Even in bigger cities, there are barriers to her doing basic shopping and there is no way she can safely get to a park without severe pain for the next three days.
Emma misses what enriches her life, that ability to be independent and walk down a muddy forest trail and see mother nature at its best. She is asking for help to fund an off-road wheelchair and power attachment. So, she can visit the countryside once again without having to rely on friends to carry her and the wheelchair across rough terrain.
Emma only has a small amount of savings as an emergency rainy day fund, She will be putting as much of that in as she can. Emma needs your help so she can see more than the 4 walls of her flat and the grey concrete of the city. If you can help, even a small amount, you can help a disabled person do something most people take for granted. She needs £7925, for the complete setup.
• The Chair - ProGeo Yoga £2700
• The Wheels -ProGeo Fat Wheels (pair) £525
• The Power Attachment - Triride High Power L16 £4700
• Please share this fundraiser with your friends and on any social media platform, you can.
About Me
Emma grew up in the countryside as a child, days and weekends out running around in forests, on beaches and having fun like every other child her age. She still had to be careful but had independence. Where Emma lived, she had access to nature and could explore on her own and without any aid. This made her happy to be alive even though Emma suffers from Spina Bifida, her condition hadn’t degraded at this point to where she lost her independence. Emma enjoys the adventures and they became a big part of who she is today.
In her early 20’s Emma's condition worsened, and she lost the ability to walk safely, and the feeling in her legs had just about gone. She had to accept that the rest of her life would be spent in a wheelchair at the mercy of the health services equipment. Even though suitable wheelchairs exist for Emma to regain most of her independence, so she can enjoy her life like she used to do, these chairs have always been out of her reach. The health services only consider basic needs, they don’t even consider if the area you live in is wheelchair friendly. Since not being able to go out independently Emma's mental health has been in decline for the last 27 years.
Emmas is lucky she has a few friends that can help her out. They all work though or have their own disabilities to manage. They have said they don’t mind helping where they can, but they spend most of their free time helping her outside the house. Emma wants her friends to get their lives back as we all feel trapped with a solution just out of reach.
Because Emma's condition is spinal, and the lower half of her spine looks like a car crash between two trucks of fairy lights, any bump or jolt causes her severe pain that lasts for days. Emma cannot feel her legs and need aids just to get around her flat. She cannot self-propel any wheelchair as the movement and twisting needed to control a manual wheelchair stresses what is left of the nerves in her lower spine.
One thing Emma misses is being able to use trains and visit friends, though her electric wheelchair can do this, the limited range, weight and bulkiness means anyone she visits needs to be very strong and have a van to put the chair in. This means Emma cannot visit her parents with any of her current chairs, and if any of her friends don’t have a car let alone a van. Going to visit anyone is like planning a major bank heist.
Why These Parts
Emma's current manual wheelchair has no suspension, and on most footpaths, she in constant pain because of the uneven surfaces. It is next to impossible to go on grass or any off-road situation and she always needs someone with her to push.
The NHS is providing Emma with a new electric wheelchair; however, they presume all paths have drop curbs and are perfectly smooth. This is only the case in the city centre, which only covers Emma's basic survival needs. It can’t climb curbs and is just as painful as the manual wheelchair on uneven paths.
Both chairs provide for basic needs and don’t provide for Emma to visit her parents, friends or any quality of life adventures.
Goal 1 @ £2700 - ProGeo Yoga
Picking a chair isn’t like buying new chairs for the dining room. Because of her condition, the chair must be custom fitted so Emma as safe and secure as she can be. The Yoga can be configured to her need to support her back and reduce pain whilst in it. This chair can also be folded to fit into the back of a car or take up less space on public transport. It’s also rugged and will also survive off-road excursions. The big advantage is the weight, and the quick-release wheels, this means Emma's elderly parents can put it in the boot of their car along with the power attachment. With this as the base, it provides everything, she needs to be able to regain some of her lost independence.
Goal 2 @ £3225 - ProGeo Fat Wheels
These wheels are built for the ProGeo chairs, they are big and chunky, offering a softer and smoother ride with fewer vibrations and bumps getting through to Emma's spine. They are a key part to this new chair as not only will they help in areas around the city she lives in making a less painful journey, they are great for off-road, sand, snow and mud would be no problem with these. These also work well with the power attachment meaning Emma can climb up curbs and don’t have to worry about being able to get off the curb at the end of the street.
Goal 3 @ £ 7925 - Triride High Power L16
This is the final part and by far the most useful and expensive. The Triride will give Emma the independence she has been missing. It is capable of propelling her through mud, snow, and sand without anyone to carry Emma or her wheelchair. With the Fat Wheels, she can drive along country trails, go to the beach and even go outside in the snow. Emma doesn't have to wait for when her friends are free and have the spoons to help. Just going to do some basic shopping will be less painful and even possible with this, as the health service supplied chairs don’t offer her any comfort or freedom under most conditions. The 16in front wheel and the fat rear wheels will enable Emma to get up curbs with ease and she won’t have to spend hours planning a journey so she can be sure to find all the drop curbs.
And Finally
I hope you can help, even a little bit. Emma misses being independent and being able to go out in the countryside. She will be able to visit friends and they won’t have to worry about her being able to get around. You will be able to help give Emma back something she has been missing for the last 27 years. With your help, Emma will be able to do what many people take for granted.
Please share this fundraiser with your friends and on any social media platform, you can.
Emma can’t strap on a pair of boots and go out; she needs someone with her who knows her condition just to be able to get out of the house safely. The NHS supplied wheelchairs are okay if your pavements are flat and there are no bumps on the paths. Even in bigger cities, there are barriers to her doing basic shopping and there is no way she can safely get to a park without severe pain for the next three days.
Emma misses what enriches her life, that ability to be independent and walk down a muddy forest trail and see mother nature at its best. She is asking for help to fund an off-road wheelchair and power attachment. So, she can visit the countryside once again without having to rely on friends to carry her and the wheelchair across rough terrain.
Emma only has a small amount of savings as an emergency rainy day fund, She will be putting as much of that in as she can. Emma needs your help so she can see more than the 4 walls of her flat and the grey concrete of the city. If you can help, even a small amount, you can help a disabled person do something most people take for granted. She needs £7925, for the complete setup.
• The Chair - ProGeo Yoga £2700
• The Wheels -ProGeo Fat Wheels (pair) £525
• The Power Attachment - Triride High Power L16 £4700
• Please share this fundraiser with your friends and on any social media platform, you can.
About Me
Emma grew up in the countryside as a child, days and weekends out running around in forests, on beaches and having fun like every other child her age. She still had to be careful but had independence. Where Emma lived, she had access to nature and could explore on her own and without any aid. This made her happy to be alive even though Emma suffers from Spina Bifida, her condition hadn’t degraded at this point to where she lost her independence. Emma enjoys the adventures and they became a big part of who she is today.
In her early 20’s Emma's condition worsened, and she lost the ability to walk safely, and the feeling in her legs had just about gone. She had to accept that the rest of her life would be spent in a wheelchair at the mercy of the health services equipment. Even though suitable wheelchairs exist for Emma to regain most of her independence, so she can enjoy her life like she used to do, these chairs have always been out of her reach. The health services only consider basic needs, they don’t even consider if the area you live in is wheelchair friendly. Since not being able to go out independently Emma's mental health has been in decline for the last 27 years.
Emmas is lucky she has a few friends that can help her out. They all work though or have their own disabilities to manage. They have said they don’t mind helping where they can, but they spend most of their free time helping her outside the house. Emma wants her friends to get their lives back as we all feel trapped with a solution just out of reach.
Because Emma's condition is spinal, and the lower half of her spine looks like a car crash between two trucks of fairy lights, any bump or jolt causes her severe pain that lasts for days. Emma cannot feel her legs and need aids just to get around her flat. She cannot self-propel any wheelchair as the movement and twisting needed to control a manual wheelchair stresses what is left of the nerves in her lower spine.
One thing Emma misses is being able to use trains and visit friends, though her electric wheelchair can do this, the limited range, weight and bulkiness means anyone she visits needs to be very strong and have a van to put the chair in. This means Emma cannot visit her parents with any of her current chairs, and if any of her friends don’t have a car let alone a van. Going to visit anyone is like planning a major bank heist.
Why These Parts
Emma's current manual wheelchair has no suspension, and on most footpaths, she in constant pain because of the uneven surfaces. It is next to impossible to go on grass or any off-road situation and she always needs someone with her to push.
The NHS is providing Emma with a new electric wheelchair; however, they presume all paths have drop curbs and are perfectly smooth. This is only the case in the city centre, which only covers Emma's basic survival needs. It can’t climb curbs and is just as painful as the manual wheelchair on uneven paths.
Both chairs provide for basic needs and don’t provide for Emma to visit her parents, friends or any quality of life adventures.
Goal 1 @ £2700 - ProGeo Yoga
Picking a chair isn’t like buying new chairs for the dining room. Because of her condition, the chair must be custom fitted so Emma as safe and secure as she can be. The Yoga can be configured to her need to support her back and reduce pain whilst in it. This chair can also be folded to fit into the back of a car or take up less space on public transport. It’s also rugged and will also survive off-road excursions. The big advantage is the weight, and the quick-release wheels, this means Emma's elderly parents can put it in the boot of their car along with the power attachment. With this as the base, it provides everything, she needs to be able to regain some of her lost independence.
Goal 2 @ £3225 - ProGeo Fat Wheels
These wheels are built for the ProGeo chairs, they are big and chunky, offering a softer and smoother ride with fewer vibrations and bumps getting through to Emma's spine. They are a key part to this new chair as not only will they help in areas around the city she lives in making a less painful journey, they are great for off-road, sand, snow and mud would be no problem with these. These also work well with the power attachment meaning Emma can climb up curbs and don’t have to worry about being able to get off the curb at the end of the street.
Goal 3 @ £ 7925 - Triride High Power L16
This is the final part and by far the most useful and expensive. The Triride will give Emma the independence she has been missing. It is capable of propelling her through mud, snow, and sand without anyone to carry Emma or her wheelchair. With the Fat Wheels, she can drive along country trails, go to the beach and even go outside in the snow. Emma doesn't have to wait for when her friends are free and have the spoons to help. Just going to do some basic shopping will be less painful and even possible with this, as the health service supplied chairs don’t offer her any comfort or freedom under most conditions. The 16in front wheel and the fat rear wheels will enable Emma to get up curbs with ease and she won’t have to spend hours planning a journey so she can be sure to find all the drop curbs.
And Finally
I hope you can help, even a little bit. Emma misses being independent and being able to go out in the countryside. She will be able to visit friends and they won’t have to worry about her being able to get around. You will be able to help give Emma back something she has been missing for the last 27 years. With your help, Emma will be able to do what many people take for granted.
Please share this fundraiser with your friends and on any social media platform, you can.
Organiser and beneficiary
Gabriel Strange-Wood
Organiser
Wales
Emma Stapleton
Beneficiary