It’s Independence Day for Jimmy Scott!

Let’s get a Mobility Van for Jimmy!

Every teenager dreams of getting their first set of wheels. That taste of freedom and independence that gives birth to great adventures and memories made. For our friend Jimmy Scott, his first set of wheels came in the form of a manual wheelchair. Now it’s time that Jimmy gets some wheels that will make the biggest difference in his life – a mobility van!

Jimmy is a wickedly smart, funny, caring 19-year-old. He is a triplet from a close-knit family. Jimmy is a sophomore at the University of San Diego, studying Business Data Analytics. He loves hanging out with his friends, watching movies, going to the beach, and playing video games. But those things don’t come easily for Jimmy. As a toddler, he was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). DMD is characterized by the progressive loss of muscle. It is a multi-systemic condition, affecting many parts of the body, which results in deterioration of the skeletal, heart, and lung muscles. 

There is no cure for DMD.

Muscle loss is first noticed in childhood, with loss of strength, function, and flexibility in the hips, thighs, shoulders, and pelvis. In the teens, these losses begin progressing to the arms, lower legs, and body. Jimmy lost his ability to walk during high school. He relies on a caregiver for most of his basic needs and he relies on family and friends for the rest.

Using a manual wheelchair means that Jimmy is dependent on others to move him from place to place, transport him in and out of his chair, and make accommodations to travel with his chair so that he can participate in daily activities. Jimmy’s friends are happy to do this because he’s a great guy and a blast to be around, but having to depend on others for help means that sometimes Jimmy misses out on experiences because a friend can’t lift him or their car can’t hold his wheelchair or the place they’re going, like the beach, makes it impossible to push him around. And in the manual chair, even the simplest things, like having a conversation at a party, require help. If Jimmy wants to turn his body to talk to another person, someone has to physically turn his wheelchair for him.

Fortunately, Jimmy also has a power chair. This gives him so much more mobility. He has enough strength to operate the chair and choose where he wants to go, who he wants to talk with and when he wants to move around. He can get around school and attend classes and functions. But this added mobility actually restricts his independence because the power chair can’t be broken down into a friend’s trunk or easily lifted or maneuvered. Instead, Jimmy’s power chair requires a medical transport to get him and his chair around. Just transporting him the 25 miles from school to his parents’ house and back again costs $350 PER TRIP!

Jimmy is a humble guy. He goes out of his way to never burden anyone with the challenges he faces. He is doing his best to make the most of his college experience and his life. And we can help. Jimmy needs a mobility van to give him the true freedom and independence that every young person deserves. A van that would allow Jimmy to drive his power chair in and out means that he can safely go just about anywhere and keep the ability to move himself around. This is a lifechanging opportunity. But it does not come cheap. We have priced out some great options in the range of $50,000 to $75,000. 

We need your help to make this happen.

None of us knows what the future holds. With improved care, more people with Duchenne are living into their early 30s and beyond. Jimmy is enrolled in a clinical trial aimed at continuing to improve care and therapies for DMD to enhance both the quality and quantity of life with Duchenne.

Today you can help improve the quality of Jimmy’s life by giving him the freedom that every person deserves, to live his life to the fullest, making memories and making his mark. 

Help us give Jimmy his Independence Day!