Help Michelle Travel in Comfort and Ease in Custom Van

This is a GoFundMe campaign on behalf of my sister Michelle Fisher Brand, who was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in August of 2019. We are raising money to retrofit a van for her and her husband Andy. The background story:

When Michelle was diagnosed out of the blue with an impossibly large brain tumor in 2019, she underwent surgery to remove the tumor, followed by radiation and chemotherapy. Although these treatments removed most of the tumor and halted growth of the residual cancer cells, the treatments themselves and their after-effects (including multiple strokes and chronic neuropathy as a side effect from chemotherapy) have left Michelle with some significant physical and cognitive challenges. She could not continue to work or drive, and is cared for at home now by professional caregivers during the day when Andy is at work. Nonetheless, she has amazing equanimity and finds joy in little things around her, despite the difficulties of just getting through her daily routine.

Michelle's challenges have made even simple travel by car very difficult, especially trips of any distance. Besides the physical discomfort of long distance travel in a standard automobile seat, trying to utilize public restrooms (especially the usual single-gender ones where Andy cannot go in to assist her) is really really difficult. So we are working to raise money to purchase a gently-used, low-mileage, high-roof van (such as Ford Transit) and retrofit it with two key items:

1. A simple bathroom in the back of the van which Michelle could use anywhere they can pull off the road

2. A reclining custom captain's chair car seat, with foot rest, so that Michelle can elevate her feet and adjust her position during the trip (super important in terms of the neuropathy)

Based on our assessment of the typical cost of a 3-year-old (ish) low-mileage van, plus the individual components for the retrofit (my husband David will provide the labor for free), plus the additional taxes, registration, etc, we estimate a cost for this project of approximately $55,000. We have a (not-so-anonymous) donor who can give $20K.....which leaves us with $35K to raise. And this is where you come in!

So many people love Michelle and Andy, and have asked many times since her diagnosis how they could help.....well, here is your chance! We believe that having this van will make it infinitely easier for Michelle and Andy to be able to travel together, and greatly enhance Michelle's quality of life by removing barriers to travel. One super important destination will be Connecticut, where their young adult children and partners and beloved grandson Bowen live, which right now is a grueling trip in a regular car. But it will also help with the trips for medical appts in Southern Maine, getting to other family gatherings (like weddings!), getting to the airport in Boston to be able to fly to go stay with our mom in India, and for possible pleasure trips to enjoy some of what this beautiful part of the world has to offer....all of which are very difficult with current resources.

All donations of any size are greatly appreciated, and all will go directly to obtaining and retrofitting this custom van to get Michelle on the road, in comfort and ease. Please share with any and all that you know who might be interested in helping with this fundraiser for Michelle and Andy. Thank you so much for your support!!!