Hello, my name is Annie and I'm reaching out with love and hope for my 12 year-old grand-niece Micaiah, a bright, resilient and deeply loved child who has an incredibly rare and devastating condition: Vanishing White Matter Disease (VWM).

VWM is a progressive and incurable neurological disorder that affects the brain's white matter, slowly robbing children of their ability to walk, talk, and perform basic motor functions. There are only approximately 200 known cases around the world, and tragically, there is no cure.

Despite the daily challenges of living with VWM, Micaiah continues to fight with remarkable courage. She's wheelchair-bound now, but her spirit is full of light.

But here's where we need your help.

Transporting Micaiah to doctor appointments, therapy sessions, school, and family functions has become incredibly difficult for her family. Their family vehicle is not equipped for a wheelchair, which means lifting her and her heavy wheelchair every single time, a painful and physically risky process for her and for her family.

A wheelchair-accessible van would be life-changing.

It would give Micaiah safe reliable transportation and save her family from potential injury to themselves from lifting her in and out of their current vehicle. It would continue to give her the freedom to experience the world beyond her home. It would bring more smiles like the one Micaiah has in this picture while trying out a wheelchair-accessible van that a rep brought to her house. In Micaiah's own words, "I'm so excited!"

These specially equipped vans are expensive! The cost for even a used wheelchair van can easily exceed $60,000. That's why we are turning to you, our community, our friends, and compassionate strangers, to help us reach this goal.

We are humbly asking for your support. Every dollar counts and every share of this story brings us closer to our dream of providing Micaiah and her family with the mobility and care she needs.

If you are unable to donate, please consider sharing this campaign. Your help means the world to us and to a girl who's already faced more than most of us will in a lifetime!

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you!

With gratitude,

Annie and Family