Help Ian Dovey get a new wheelchair!

Hey everyone! My name is Ian Dovey and I am raising money to get a new wheelchair!

 

My story:

 

In October 2018 I was involved in a motorcycle accident after attending a work training. I had many injuries but the worst one was a spinal cord injury resulting in quadriplegia at the c5-c6 level. I spent the next 5 month in 4 different hospitals learning how to live this new life. Every doctor told me that I would be bound to a power chair, but through hard work hard headed ness I gained enough independence to use a manual wheelchair!

 

While I was in the hospital, the vendor for the wheelchair company improperly sized me for my “custom wheelchair”. I didn’t know that it was improperly sized at the time because 1. I didn’t know any better yet, I trusted him. 2. I was more focused on my rehabilitation and therapy.

 

Fast forward a couple months after receiving my “custom wheelchair”, I began to wonder why I could never sit properly, why it was so difficult to use my chair and mostly why am I in so much pain whenever I’m in it? After getting other assessments regarding my “custom wheelchair”, it turns out that it is much too big for me. It’s actually 2” too wide and 2” too long. It doesn’t seem like much but when this is your life it means everything. The best way I could describe it for most people is, imagine wearing shoes that are 2 sizes too big all the time and not having a choice about it. This chair that I have causes some pretty severe pain because it doesn’t fit me and I’m only able to sit in it for a couple hours before I have to get out of it.

 

Unfortunately insurance will not budge on getting a new wheelchair. Because it is “custom” it can’t be returned, plus insurance will only cover a new wheelchair every 5 years. I’ve only been in this particular wheelchair 2 1/2 years and I can’t imagine being in it for another 2 1/2 years considering how it fits and the pain it causes.

 

There is hope in all of this though! There is a company in San Diego called “ Hands On Concepts” that specialize in making custom wheelchairs! I have a few friends who have had chairs made by them and all of them say they love their wheelchair. I called them and explained my situation and the owner tells me “ I would not have a successful business if I didn’t deal with your same situation everyday”. Hearing that put me at ease knowing I’m not alone and that they can build me a proper fitting custom wheelchair!

 

The price for a new custom wheelchair from Hand On Concepts with everything I need is roughly $4000, compared to about $10,000 from the manufacture that insurance denied me. These chairs are high quality and meant to last a long time.

 

Having a proper fitting wheelchair is extremely important, to me and to anyone who uses one. A wheelchair is an extension of the user, it’s their independence and ultimately their freedom.

 

Another very important reason I need a new proper fitting wheelchair is that in December I am going to be a new father! I want to be able to stay in my chair the entire day, doing new daddy stuff without it causing pain and needing to lay down after 2 hours. So it’s very important that I get a new chair before he gets here!

 

I want to end this by saying how grateful I am for everyone who donates to help me get a new wheelchair! It is so kind of you and means more to me than you could imagine. I hope you can feel a big hug from me! If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask!

 

Thank you all so much!

Ian