This is my son Josiah. He is 12 years old and fighting Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (a severe muscle wasting disease with no cure) It affects all muscles including lungs and heart. Most boys lose the ability to walk by age 12 and life expectancy is late teens to early 20's.   Let me just tell you this disease is awful, nasty and absolutely heartbreaking. DMD has robbed my son of so much but through it all he always wears a smile, even through all the pain. He truly has a heart of gold and always puts others needs before his own. Josiah is able to walk short distances and needs his wheelchair for his many Dr appointments(he sees over 12 doctors) and is currently in a drug study at Rush University in Chicago every 8 weeks for days at a time. Part of this disease is he has many, many falls either from losing his balance or his legs simply giving out. This, I'm sorry to say has recently left him with 4 fractures in his spine and in the past has left him with a few concussions. He has had a good percentage of his falls getting in an out of our car,  and it is becoming very hard for him to get into the car without his wheelchair. Many times we can't bring it with because our trunk isn't large enough to bring it with. We only have one income right now which is my fiance's( Josiah's soon- to -be step dad) as I have to stay home full time and care for Josiah and his two siblings. It is extremely challenging if not almost impossible for me alone to get Josiah up when he falls or to lift him into a car without hurting him or myself. We are in desperate and dire need of a handicapped accessible van for him. Insurance will not help and we can not afford to buy one. Reliable, handicap accessible vans start around $30,000 even for a used van. We don't know what else to do  at this point and are trusting God that he will make a way to help our little boy. A van that we could just keep him in his chair in would reduce so many falls and help prevent any further damage to his spine. I am not one to ever ask for help but we are desperate to help our son stay safe. As his mother watching him fall and get hurt and just to have to go through this is gut wrenching and is an extremely painful thing to watch knowing I can't take the pain and struggle for him.  He never gives up and keeps moving forward with the biggest smile ever. If you are able to help in any way at all it would mean more to us than we could ever begin to express.  Thank you all for your continuous prayers, support and love. We are so grateful for each of you!
With gratitude, 
Mandy Null    

Questions please call Mandy at [phone redacted]
or contact me by email
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