McClammer Family Wheelchair Van
Donation protected
59 years old is a horribly young age to be confined to a nursing home, but as of today that's where Roger and Denise stand. About 20 years ago, Denise was diagnosed with an aggressive form of multiple sclerosis (MS). Around 15 years ago, she became reliant upon a wheelchair and today Denise has very little use of her legs and very little use of either arm. Earlier this summer, Roger suffered a brain hemorrhage and has spent the better part of six weeks in the hospital. We are hopeful that with time and rehabilitative therapy Roger will have a large enough recovery to experience a good quality of life, but as of today he is unable to effectively communicate and is confined to a hospital bed.
Even though Denise has been confined to a wheelchair for the past 15 years, they have never truly had a wheelchair accessible vehicle. Roger has done his best to get by with a regular mini-van, but without a proper lift or ramp, getting her in and out of the van is an arduous and potentially dangerous process. The make-shift ramp currently at our disposal makes it impossible for us to transport Denise’s specialized wheelchair, which makes it difficult for her to be away from home for very long and causes her to be less comfortable when she is away. Not to mention, the current van is old and needs significant mechanical repairs.
Our goal with a wheelchair-accessible van would be to allow Denise to use her specialized wheelchair, which gives her the ability to be away from home for longer periods of time, and to allow any family member, on their own, to be able to transport Denise. These changes will give Denise (and Roger) greater independence and a better quality of life.
Over the years, various medical expenses and Roger’s inability to work (he has been a full-time caregiver during every step of Denise’s battle with MS) have not left them with many resources. As they move into a nursing home, almost every dollar of their income will go toward nursing home expenses and nursing care.
We are launching this campaign to assist in our purchasing a wheelchair accessible van (and to pay for its future expenses) that we will use to take Denise, and in the future Roger, out of the nursing home as often as possible.
You can learn more about Roger's progress here:
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/rogermcclammer
This website gives you a general idea of the features of a wheelchair van: http://www.vantagemobility.com/wheelchair-vans/toyota-sienna/
Even though Denise has been confined to a wheelchair for the past 15 years, they have never truly had a wheelchair accessible vehicle. Roger has done his best to get by with a regular mini-van, but without a proper lift or ramp, getting her in and out of the van is an arduous and potentially dangerous process. The make-shift ramp currently at our disposal makes it impossible for us to transport Denise’s specialized wheelchair, which makes it difficult for her to be away from home for very long and causes her to be less comfortable when she is away. Not to mention, the current van is old and needs significant mechanical repairs.
Our goal with a wheelchair-accessible van would be to allow Denise to use her specialized wheelchair, which gives her the ability to be away from home for longer periods of time, and to allow any family member, on their own, to be able to transport Denise. These changes will give Denise (and Roger) greater independence and a better quality of life.
Over the years, various medical expenses and Roger’s inability to work (he has been a full-time caregiver during every step of Denise’s battle with MS) have not left them with many resources. As they move into a nursing home, almost every dollar of their income will go toward nursing home expenses and nursing care.
We are launching this campaign to assist in our purchasing a wheelchair accessible van (and to pay for its future expenses) that we will use to take Denise, and in the future Roger, out of the nursing home as often as possible.
You can learn more about Roger's progress here:
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/rogermcclammer
This website gives you a general idea of the features of a wheelchair van: http://www.vantagemobility.com/wheelchair-vans/toyota-sienna/
Organizer
Sara McClammer
Organizer
Indianapolis, IN