Jason's New Wheelchair Van Fund
Donation protected
My name is Jason and I am 36 years old. I graduated from San Diego State University with a bachelors degree in computer science and a minor in Japanese. I enjoy learning languages, and traveling. I also speak Spanish and am currently learning Mandarin Chinese. I have traveled around the US, Mexico, Japan, and Bermuda.
I have Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), which is a terminal disease that affects the muscles causing weekness. It is caused by a mutation in the gene for the protein dystrophin. I was diagnosed at the age of 6, and have progressively gotten weaker as time has passed. I rely on a wheelchair to move around, and am now dependant on a ventilator due to weakness in my
respiratory muscles.
Recently my families wheelchair van, which was a used 1994 Dodge Grand Caravan, has had many problems and has become unreliable. Before that we had a used 1985 Ford Econoline, that also had many problems. We need a reliable vehicle because I have many doctor appointments and the last few years I have had to visit the emergency room a couple times a year. I also enjoy getting out of the house and going on road trips with my family. With the amount of time my van was spending in the shop and the amount of money being spent on it, it was increasingly difficult to leave the house.
We have only had used wheelchair vans in the past, which has been very difficult, so we began doing research on what is available in a new vehicle. After extensive research we decided that a 2015 Toyota Sienna woulld be the best fit for our situation. The cost of converting the van into an accesible van added $28,000 to the price of the van. Due to necessity my family had to go ahead and purchase the vehicle, but luckily the people at MobilityWorks San Diego were able to work with us on the price and the down payment to help me out. We were able to borrow just enough to cover the down payment and made the first payment a couple weeks ago. Due to the fact I have a limited income, I don't have much money for any of my other needs, so any help you can give to my family towards the payments of our new wheelchair van would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading.
I have Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), which is a terminal disease that affects the muscles causing weekness. It is caused by a mutation in the gene for the protein dystrophin. I was diagnosed at the age of 6, and have progressively gotten weaker as time has passed. I rely on a wheelchair to move around, and am now dependant on a ventilator due to weakness in my
respiratory muscles.
Recently my families wheelchair van, which was a used 1994 Dodge Grand Caravan, has had many problems and has become unreliable. Before that we had a used 1985 Ford Econoline, that also had many problems. We need a reliable vehicle because I have many doctor appointments and the last few years I have had to visit the emergency room a couple times a year. I also enjoy getting out of the house and going on road trips with my family. With the amount of time my van was spending in the shop and the amount of money being spent on it, it was increasingly difficult to leave the house.
We have only had used wheelchair vans in the past, which has been very difficult, so we began doing research on what is available in a new vehicle. After extensive research we decided that a 2015 Toyota Sienna woulld be the best fit for our situation. The cost of converting the van into an accesible van added $28,000 to the price of the van. Due to necessity my family had to go ahead and purchase the vehicle, but luckily the people at MobilityWorks San Diego were able to work with us on the price and the down payment to help me out. We were able to borrow just enough to cover the down payment and made the first payment a couple weeks ago. Due to the fact I have a limited income, I don't have much money for any of my other needs, so any help you can give to my family towards the payments of our new wheelchair van would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading.
Organizer and beneficiary
Jason Aitchison
Organizer
San Diego, CA
Janela Aitchison
Beneficiary
