Katie's LIFE CHANGING Wheelchair Fund!!

My name is Katie McConnell, I’m 21 years old, I live in London and I need your help to raise money for a new, life changing wheelchair.

I have multiple complex medical conditions including Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome - a connective tissue disorder. I am also diagnosed with other chronic illnesses, with symptoms including pain, fatigue, dislocations and subluxations of my joints, and an array of dysautonomic issues. I am also neurodivergent. All of this means I am unable to stand or walk for significant periods of time and so rely on a wheelchair to work, be social and manage my health.

I have been using a power assist wheelchair to be able to independently live my life, funded through Access to Work, but unfortunately this wheelchair is now broken. I have spent around £2,000 of my own money trying to fix these issues but have been told now that it cannot be repaired for long term use. I’ve also been spending £175 per fortnight to hire a wheelchair so I can continue working, while this has been ongoing, but I’m not able to continue paying this high cost. I now face having to start the process of getting a suitable wheelchair all over again. Access to Work acknowledges that I cannot work without a suitable manual wheelchair with a power assist, but it's at least a 24 week wait to receive any support from them.

I’m employed 4 days a week as a dance teacher in a primary school. Growing up I never saw a wheelchair user dancing, so providing that representation for children now is so important. There is also a large Deaf provision in the school and I am a BSL user, making my presence there even more important. It’s so hard finding accessible and flexible work as a wheelchair user and this school is set up perfectly for me. But it’s a job I simply cannot do without an appropriate wheelchair.

I also work at Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital as a trainee resident artist. Here, I perform and facilitate movement and musical activities across the hospital for patients and their carers and families. I dance for and with the young people, often using the artform as a way to make their time in hospital easier. For example, we can recreate an upcoming surgery they are worried about in the form of a song or dance to help reassure and support them. Having been a previous patient of GOSH myself this work is so important to me, I see the difference it makes every time I’m there. But again, it’s a job I simply cannot do without an appropriate wheelchair.

With the right wheelchair and power assist I can also walk my assistance dog independently, go to the shops, see friends, do the things I enjoy and attend doctors appointments and collect my prescriptions. I wouldn’t need to rely on someone pushing me, nor would I have to wait for someone to be available to help me.

Through Access to Work my employer will cover 4/7 of the cost of my wheelchair and power assist, meaning I have to fund the remaining amount. But also, upon leaving the job, which is more than likely to happen because no one stays in the same job forever, I will have to pay my employer back their portion of the cost in order to keep the wheelchair at the end of my contract. I simply don’t have the money myself to fund this. I don’t get Personal Independence Payment as I have repeatedly been told that I’m not eligible as I ‘don’t struggle enough’. There is also little to no charity funding available for adults in need of a wheelchair. The NHS is also not able to provide me with a wheelchair or funding because I can walk a few steps. This has left me with no option but to fundraise.

I need an active user lightweight manual wheelchair with a power assist to be able to be independent. I cannot propel a wheelchair without power assist safely as it causes dislocations, leading to lasting nerve damage. Currently I’m having to use my old (and still broken) wheelchair and as a result I have been in a flare up since January. The longer this goes on, the more problems it will cause and it will be harder to get back to baseline. Using a broken wheelchair is causing damage to my body and I’ve had to take a lot of unpaid days off work in the last month because of this. My work has been understanding but I’ve lost out on income and this isn’t sustainable.

The total cost of the wheelchair and power assist that I need is £8342. The wheelchair can be ordered once I have the £4,500 deposit, and at that point it will take another 4-6 weeks for the wheelchair to be ready. This is why this is so urgent. Even if we raised all the money in one day there is still a wait ahead of me. Access to Work support is at least 6 months away at best, meaning I’m facing spending much of this year unable to be independent, constantly taking unpaid days off work and causing lasting damage to my body. It would break my heart to have to stop working.

The rest of the funds raised will be used for maintenance and repairs. I had no idea how much repairs, parts and maintenance costs for wheelchairs until this year. The £2,000 I’ve already spent on my old wheelchair tells me what the costs might be in the future to keep a new wheelchair in working order.

I despair at the state of the world we’re in at the moment. Disabled people are being let down by the government, they want people in work but aren’t providing the right funding in a timely manner. Fundraising is the only way I can stay working, and I love my work so much. This is the only barrier that is in my way of working.

Even just £5, the cost of a coffee, will help me get my independence back. I’ll be continuing to search for any funding avenues and putting any spare money I have towards this too, but I need your help to get back to the life I love.

I’m so grateful for anything you can give, or even just sharing my page across my social media. Thank you! x