The Cunningham's Accessible Transit Van

Hello, we are Jessica and Patrick Cunningham, parents of 2 amazing tiny heroes named Carter and Abigail. We have started this page to help us raise money to get an accessible vehicle. More specifically a transit van which we will need to convert to a wheelchair van that will be big enough to support both of our children's wheelchairs and equipment safely.

We recently discovered that our daughter Abigail will not be able to use any of the special needs car seats approved by the ministry for travel (due to her specific safety needs). Therefore, we are left with no choice but to acquire an accessible van. While speaking with Northend Mobility, we then discovered we will not be able to convert a typical minivan to properly fit both the kids in their wheelchairs. Which leaves us again no choice but to look for a much larger Transit van which we will then need to convert into a wheelchair accessible vehicle. The van will need a back door wheelchair lift, 2 tie down stations, and a flip up seat (so that one of us can sit in the back with the children for safety purposes).

Here is a little back story:

Both of our children have significant medical needs, both physical, developmental and intellectual. Both require full size and specially customised wheelchairs. We travel quite frequently back and forth to McMaster Children's Hospital for services and treatments.

Carter, currently 9 years old, was born at 32 weeks gestation due to myself (Jessica), ending up with a rare condition called Eclampsia (not to be confused with the more common condition called pre-eclampsia). It caused my blood pressure to sky rocket, my body to swell, and debilitating migraines, which led to me falling unconscious and taking a grand mal seizure that almost took both our lives. We made it to hospital in time for an emergency c-section which saved us both just in time. 3 weeks following the traumatic birthing event, while still in hospital, Carter then contracted Bacterial meningitis which attacked half his brain leaving him with significant deficits which will continue to affect him for the rest of his life. Carter's official diagnosis are Hemiplegia Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy, as well as having intellectual disabilities. Despite everything, Carter is an incredibly happy kid who has an immense love of video games and being the class clown.

Abigail, currently 4 years old, was born at 37 weeks gestation, due to another rare occurrence called a Uterine Rupture. Luckily, I was in hospital when my uterus ruptured, and teams were able to act quickly to get us to the OR for another Emergency c-section. Unfortunately, it was not quickly enough. By the time they got access to Abigail she had been without blood and oxygen for almost 10 minutes and was unresponsive. For that moment we had lost her. Again, doctors acted as quickly as they could to revive her and brought her back to us, but not soon enough as her brain was left significantly damaged. Doctors were not hopeful. We, as a team decided to leave it up to Abigail, and as the little miracle she is, she chose to fight. She has undergone numerous procedures and surgeries including a tracheostomy, and a g-tube as she does not have the ability to swallow. Abigail's official main diagnosis are as follows. She has HIE (Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy) Sarnat Stage 3 (severe brain damage), Quadriplegia Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy and Neurostorming, CVI, Global and Develomental Delays, as well as a few other diagnosis under the umbrella of the others. Abigail has continued to surprise doctors more and more every day and we could not be more proud of her progress. She recently started school at the Niagara Children's Centre and has been loving it.

Since Abigail is quickly outgrowing her current car seat we are in desperate need of an accessible van or else we will not be able to transport her safetly, and with her uncertain health condition we need to be able to get her to McMaster at any notice in case something happens. Having the van will also allow us to easily take the children out to experience more opportunities and significantly improve their quality of life.

We are asking for any help, no matter how big or small, and to please share our story and page as much as possible. We appreciate you all so much. Please help us to give our children a better, more accessible life.

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