My name is Dee Marie and I am fundraising to purchase a new compact, custom, and lightweight manual wheelchair. My current manual wheelchair is 3 years old and is very close to being unusable and is already very dangerous.

The standard removable wheels do not lock into place anymore, which has caused the wheels to fall out from under me, leaving me on the floor and in pain multiple times. The backrest is partially unglued and continues to get worse, causing the exposed edge to scratch me up frequently. The backrest axle hinge is actually nonexistent as it broke off, so I risk being pinched or injured every time I have to put the backrest down. Also, this chair fits improperly in many places; mainly, the seat width is about 16 inches, and my hips require a 20-inch cushion now. This large size difference means that my hips are often in pain or subluxated/dislocated from being squeezed in such a small seat.

I have found a company that makes these wheelchairs without insurance affiliation. This is important because my insurance will not issue me a new wheelchair this soon. This company requires the client to pay the full price of the chair out of pocket.

With the generous donations made to this GoFundMe, I will be able to purchase a new wheelchair with all the right parts and measurements, as well as pay for shipping.

For me, a working and well-fitting wheelchair grants me the same freedom, autonomy, and independence that walking provides to others. I feel as though my wheelchair is my legs, and without those legs, I am isolated, held back, and lost.

Please help me get my legs back either by donating or sharing my story on social media and with your friends and family.