Connie's Dream Machine Fund
Donation protected
Hi my name is Connie . I am the first person to go to college in my family. I am very excited to have this opportunity.
When I was 3 years old I was diagnosed with a genetic medical condition called Mitochondrial Disorder and it's played a major role in my life .
When I was younger there were many people who didn't believe that I could ever make it this far, but I wanted to show others that it doesn't matter what your limitations are, that if you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.
Going to college has always been a dream of mine and I'm so excited to be a student at Whittier college, however, having Mitochondrial Disorder does bring challenges when it comes to my academic goals.
Since I am unable to move my body at all without assistance, I rely on others to help me with completing my assignments. For example, writing an essay, doing research, and reading a book requires someone else typing out what I say or turning pages for me. My family, friends, and nurses have been such an amazing support system, but needing someone else to be my hands is a struggle. Those who help and support me have many other responsibilities and tasks to fulfill, which means that they can't always assist me with work that I am physically unable to do on my own.
I was recently given the chance to try a special device called a Tobii Dynavox which allows me to type, read, search the web, and become more independent all with just the movement of my eyes. It has even helped me with something I thought couldn't ever be resolved. My condition makes it hard for me to speak clearly and it's often difficult for people to understand me, but this eye scanning computer has made it easier for me to better communicate with others as it translates my text into speech.
This device has had a huge positive impact on my life and it has been such a great help for not only me, but also for those I've been dependant on. Unfortunately, my insurance company has given no indication that they will provide funding for me to have one of my own because they don't realize how much I need it. Me and my family aren't rich and we don't have the financial means of buying it ourselves, but this machine is so important to us, which is why we are asking for help.
My family and I would greatly appreciate any support you can give.
Thank you for taking your time to read my story.
When I was 3 years old I was diagnosed with a genetic medical condition called Mitochondrial Disorder and it's played a major role in my life .
When I was younger there were many people who didn't believe that I could ever make it this far, but I wanted to show others that it doesn't matter what your limitations are, that if you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.
Going to college has always been a dream of mine and I'm so excited to be a student at Whittier college, however, having Mitochondrial Disorder does bring challenges when it comes to my academic goals.
Since I am unable to move my body at all without assistance, I rely on others to help me with completing my assignments. For example, writing an essay, doing research, and reading a book requires someone else typing out what I say or turning pages for me. My family, friends, and nurses have been such an amazing support system, but needing someone else to be my hands is a struggle. Those who help and support me have many other responsibilities and tasks to fulfill, which means that they can't always assist me with work that I am physically unable to do on my own.
I was recently given the chance to try a special device called a Tobii Dynavox which allows me to type, read, search the web, and become more independent all with just the movement of my eyes. It has even helped me with something I thought couldn't ever be resolved. My condition makes it hard for me to speak clearly and it's often difficult for people to understand me, but this eye scanning computer has made it easier for me to better communicate with others as it translates my text into speech.
This device has had a huge positive impact on my life and it has been such a great help for not only me, but also for those I've been dependant on. Unfortunately, my insurance company has given no indication that they will provide funding for me to have one of my own because they don't realize how much I need it. Me and my family aren't rich and we don't have the financial means of buying it ourselves, but this machine is so important to us, which is why we are asking for help.
My family and I would greatly appreciate any support you can give.
Thank you for taking your time to read my story.
Organiser
Consuelo Morales
Organiser
Whittier, CA
