Help me get a lightweight wheelchair so I can access more of the world.

A few years ago, my parents purchased a minivan for me due to me needing a way to transport my heavy insurance-issued electric wheelchair. We got a used electric lift installed into the back of the van because it was what we could afford, but we have since learned our current system has some issues that cannot be fixed.

Because the lift comes out of the back of the van, it has parking limitations and is difficult to deploy in larger cities. The lift also gets stuck often and has to be manually cranked until it resets to get it to go in and out or up and down. It also doesn’t work on any angled surface. Due to these limitations, where I can and cannot go or access is very limited, and oftentimes I end up waiting in the car.

I have also lost over 100 lbs since I received my current electric wheelchair from insurance. It is much too large. Because of its size, I also cannot use it in my home, which leaves me stuck in bed on days I’m experiencing PEM.

As a lot of you know, I have recently been dealing with worsening health issues and pain. In the past year, I have developed worsening leg spasms, muscle weakness, spine pain, low blood pressure, and worsening gastroparesis, which has negatively affected both my ME/CFS and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. I am experiencing less stability and more pain and PEM. Because of these circumstances, I need to use my wheelchair much more often. Having issues with the ramp and accessibility barriers is difficult for me, but also for my mom. She is the one who deploys the chair anytime it is needed. Using my forearm crutches isn’t suitable, as they are causing me a great deal of pain for anything more than short distances.

For the reasons stated above, and because lightweight electric chairs are not covered by insurance, I am fundraising to get a wheelchair that is adequate for my needs and body. This chair will allow me to access my wheels without having to deploy the lift. Instead, I can take out one of our back seats and keep it there. It will be much easier to get in and out of the car, and I will be able to use it in my home, which is something I cannot do with my current chair. I picked this chair specifically because of the more supportive cushions, foldable design, and the fact that it has plenty of storage (as I have to bring medical supplies everywhere I go).

This is not something that I wanted to have to do. Asking for help is not easy, but anything truly helps. We live in a household with a single income, and I am still waiting on disability. I just want to be able to access a little bit more of the world while I still have the capacity to. Thank you so much. We appreciate every dollar and share. Anything extra will be used towards my medical care and bills. I REALLY did not want to do this, but the things I need have added up in a way that we cannot afford or handle right now. God bless you.

-Sara Johnson, Becky Brocchini