Wheelchair Van for Vanessa Oliver

https://youtu.be/37FF46uknzU

I am writing this to raise money for my dearest friend, the person I love more than anyone in this world, Vanessa Oliver. She never did anything to deserve her fate. All she has ever done is give, give, give. But she was born with arthritis. Despite her zest for life, slowly, bit by bit, this disease has robbed her of everything we take for granted. The ability to walk. The ability to take care of herself, and, finally, her ability to see. Uveitis, inflammation of the eyeballs, was the final crushing blow in a series of gut-wrenching medical crises. Vanessa has had both knees replaced, both wrists fused and both eyes operated on. Still she remains wheelchair bound and legally blind.

Vanessa is in constant pain. Her fingers are twisted, her feet are swollen and her neck is fused rigid. Medical intervention does nothing to abate the pain. In fact, her arthritis, coupled with fibromyalgia and osteoporosis, means that every movement Vanessa makes is a triumph over agony. 

Recently, due to the fact that she is basically bed-bound, Vanessa was hospitalised for nearly two months. Unable to do the simplest things, such as roll over by herself, she developed a deep pressure wound on her lower back complicated by Osteomyelitis, infection of the bone. Whilst there doctors became alarmed by her unusual neurological exams. An MRI showed instability between the C1 and the C2 vertebrae, basically the join between the head and the neck. Further functional MRI imaging was ordered to rule out Atlanto-axial Instability, but was deemed too painful and dangerous to undertake.

At best Atlanto-axial instability is a condition which causes extreme chronic, continuous pain in the neck, shoulders and arms and, in the worst case scenario, complete paralysis. The pain alone makes traveling in a car excruciating. Without the proper support, however, it is downright dangerous. 

Unable to completely confirm or rule out the diagnosis, doctors advised that all they could do was send her home to recover from her pressure wound and follow up with a strict schedule of scans to monitor her condition. Ultimately, Vanessa was discharged from hospital with a rented, tricked up wheelchair and informed she could never travel in a regular car again. 

Since returning from hospital Vanessa has been a virtual prisoner in her own home. Yet she still wants to enjoy life. She wants to get out in the sun with her friends. She wants to watch her dog run on the beach in the seaside town where she lives. Unfortunately, all of the wheelchair accessible taxis and community transport there are far too rough for Vanessa to travel safely and comfortably in. 

A recent hour long trip to the dental specialist was the last straw. The road was so rough, and the wheelchair taxi’s suspension so inadequate, that Vanessa was literally crying out in pain. Tears were streaming down her face and this is from one tough cookie who is so ‘used to’ pain that I rarely see her cry. That was it. From that moment I vowed Vanessa would never go through this again. 

After speaking to the experts, the only answer to Vanessa’s problem is a factory fitted wheelchair van with a cab and suspension designed specifically for people who need an incredibly smooth and stable ride. They are imported from Japan and cost from $60,000 to $80,000, a small price to pay to free Vanessa from pain, especially given that it costs her between $300 to $400 for a return trip to the hospital. Any funds raised over the amount needed for the wheelchair van will go towards extra nursing care for Vanessa. 

With multiple long trips to the hospital and specialists in her future, Vanessa desperately needs this van now. Can you help? It would not only free her from unnecessary pain but bring some much needed joy back into her life. Finally she will be free to sit in the sun by the beach and watch her dog frolic in the surf. 

Thank you in advance for your generosity.