Hi, I’m Poppy !

Im fundraising to buy a falcon24 foldable powerchair ($3690).

When i was 23 i developed moderate me/cfs. I’m 25 now and after two years of trialling treatments I haven’t seen significant improvements. Me/CFS comes with a lot of comorbidities like POTS and HEDS / HSD. These all work together to impact my mobility. I can’t walk long distances, or up / down hills or on uneven ground. Having a power chair would give me access to walk my dog independently, go to shopping centres, go to doctors appointments and in general give me back the independence i lost two years ago.

Prior to getting sick I was a social worker student, living independently and walking 3+ hours a day. I loved hiking, swimming and clubbing. I might not be able to move my body in the way i could before i got sick, but a powerchair would grant me some of that independence back.

Why does me/CFS mean you need a powerchair?

ME/CFS is an energy limiting condition. The only management strategy we have is pacing, which i do by minimising how much energy I’m using during daily tasks and avoiding high exertion tasks. Using a powerchair would help me pace, which in turn gives me more energy and lets me focus more on physio to treat my hypermobility.

Why the Falcon24 wheelchair?

It fits all my needs while being in a slightly lower price range. It’s light enough for my partner to carry, small enough to fold into our car and durable enough to wheel in the areas i need it to.

Why not get NDIS funding?

This has been my goal for two years. Unfortunately my conditions (me/cfs, pots & hypermobility) are difficult to get funding for regardless of impairments. I haven’t found a doctor who i trust to write the right paperwork. Once i do apply i would be waiting 12-18 months for an outcome, would most likely have to appeal (most people with me/cfs have to appeal), and am not guaranteed funding for a powerchair. I currently do not have the capacity to go through this process.

What are you currently using?

Currently i have a manual wheelchair. My partner pushes it for me. It can’t go on grass or up hills. I can’t use it independently. It is also currently damaged.