Help Kea Explore Again

Hi,

My name is Kea and I am raising funds to get myself an all terrain wheelchair.

Just over two years ago I was starting university at UVic. Two weeks in I was one of the students in the Bamfield Bus Accident (https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bamfield-bus-crash-logging-road-jeep-rcmp-1.5400549). I was injured in the accident, and it took almost a year and a half to understand the severity of my traumatic brain injury. Since the accident my health has gotten worse. My brain injury has resulted in conditions such as Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), Functional neurological disorder (FND), vision issues, and Fibromyalgia. Because of the injury to my brain the smallest things – like taking steps or navigating terrain - exhausts my brain and at times results in me losing sensation and use of the left side of my body. I often do not have enough energy to leave the house (or even the couch) which results in me feeling stuck in my own home, frustrated, and my mental health has struggled a lot.

While trying to heal, I have realized how important getting outside and exploring is to my healing journey and moving forward from this accident.

Before the accident I loved exploring the world with my family - spending tons of time hiking, camping, canoeing, dancing, skiing, skating, etc. Nature is a huge part of my life, especially as a Marine Biology student and I really miss it.

Now, when I do try to participate in activities it usually results in needing a day or two to recover. Recently four of my friends had to carry me off the beach because I had lost the use of the entire left side of my body (thanks FND) and was crazy dizzy (POTS). I have had tons of really embarrassing experiences due to my mobility issues and I do not want to experience any more.

This is a photo of my dad who had to carry me home from a thirty minute walk – I had lost most use of the left side, had issues seeing, and my brain had stopped working properly.

I got a rollator at the beginning of 2021 in the hopes of delaying or removing my need for a wheelchair. It worked for small outings on smooth surfaces but has slowly become less and less useful. Rollators are not designed for the bumpy streets of Seattle (let alone the rocky beaches where I actually want to be). Rollators sadly also require me to have enough energy to walk.

Sometimes when I am too tired my brother will push me on my rollator (rollators are not designed for this!) and it is not a good option. In the last year we have rented wheelchairs and found them really helpful - but also not great for going off-road.

I am raising funds to get an all terrain wheelchair. This will have sturdy wheels designed to go over most terrains and will give me the freedom to join my family on most activities including hikes, beach trips, travel, etc. I am looking to get the Trekinetic K2 wheelchair (shown below). I have researched this extensively and discussed it with my Occupation Therapist and Neurologist who both think this will greatly improve both my mental and physical health.

At a cost of $7,500 CAD, I currently cannot afford this. I lost my job due to Covid-19 and likely will not be able to return soon because of my health. My parents have been covering most of my medical bills and smaller costs (like rollator, cane, heat pads, special glasses, specialized therapies, expensive supplements etc.) for the last two plus years. I need help on this cost.

As with any GoFundMe account, any amount is greatly appreciated. I will also be running fundraising sales of my artwork through my Ko-Fi account: https://ko-fi.com/squiddllr/shop

I appreciate any support you can provide and would love it if you could share my page with friends, family, and on social media - thank you!