My name is Julie and I’m a 43 year-old woman living in Jersey City, NJ. I was born in Montserrat, a tiny island in the Caribbean and have been in a wheelchair since I was 17 years old. I sustained a complete T-10 Spinal cord injury due to gun violence. I spent six months in the hospital and the doctors told me I would never walk again. My friends and family encouraged and supported me with a lot of prayer. I knew that if I could make it out of the hospital, I would be able to make it in life.
Since then I’ve overcome many challenges and I’ve never stopped smiling and thanking God for life. I’m a single mom of an amazing 17-year-old son and 5yr old twins who are my strength and purpose for living. I have a full-time job, friends, and an active social life. The biggest obstacle I’ve yet to overcome is the freedom to get around on my own. My daily activities consist of work, homework, errands, extracurricular/sports activities, PTA meetings, grocery shopping, and doctor office visits. I’ve been blessed with wonderful friends and family over the years that take me anywhere I want to go. However, this usually means they have to take my wheelchair apart to fit into their cars. Although I appreciate it, I don’t want to be a burden to people. I also use para-transit and public transportation, which is often unreliable. I also get around by pushing my wheelchair in the street which can be very dangerous. The streets are smoother than trying to navigate on the city’s rough, cracked, and broken sidewalks; at the end of each night, my shoulders are screaming in pain.
Having my own van would completely transform my life. I would be able to efficiently move about to do the things I need to do for myself and my children without relying upon friends, family, or public transportation. I would be free to LIVE. I’ve already taken key steps toward freedom and mobility. I PASSED MY ROAD TEST! With your help, I can take the next and final steps — purchasing a customized van equipped with hand controls for driving that I will be able to easily embark and will fit my wheelchair.
However, insurance does not help with transportation. To help with the financial burden of purchasing a van, a fundraising campaign in my honor has been established with Help Hope Live, a trusted nonprofit organization that has been providing community-based fundraising guidance to patients and their families for more than 30 years.
(working with Danny Rodrigues at MobilityWorks)
All donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law, are held by Help Hope Live in the Mid-Atlantic Catastrophic Injury Fund, and are administered by Help Hope Live for injury expenses only. Please consider a contribution.
For credit card contributions, please select the “Donate Now” button or call 800.642.8399. Or:
Make checks payable to:
Help Hope Live
Note in memo section:
In honor of Julie Chambers
Please send to:
Help Hope Live
2 Radnor Corporate Center
100 Matsonford Road, Suite 100
Radnor, PA 19087
I appreciate any contribution you can make toward helping me achieve my dream of freedom. Thank you for your consideration.
Gratefully,
Julie Chambers
