In 2016, our son, Oliver, was born at only 23 weeks gestation. In his first months of life, he encountered a number of prematurity related illnesses that are often fatal; however, he was born a fighter and is still a fighter, working hard for everything he does. You see, as a result of his illnesses, he sustained a PVL brain injury that resulted in extreme spastic and dystonic quadriplegic cerebral palsy. Oliver does not have coordination of his mouth and tongue to speak, and has very limited use of his hands, but none of that has stopped him from being successful in life. Oliver is in second grade, and completed first grade with complete mastery of the academic material. He reads, does multi-step math problems, and made a 100 on almost every spelling and math test all year. Our sweet boy works hard daily to be successful.
In addition to his academic success, he has a style and smile that make him loved by all who meet him. He was awarded Mr. Congeniality of his class, and is truly a friend to all. He loves to dress nicely and once communicated that he likes the compliments people give him on his clothes and that when he looks good, he feels good. This shows what a sense of pride he has. Imagine how he must feel still being transferred to a 5-point harness car seat each time he needs to go somewhere.
For that reason and many more, we are raising funds for a wheelchair accessible van for our family. Unless a person has a family member with a disability, most people never realize the cost burden associated with it. Things like home modifications and accessible vehicles are not covered by insurance or by any other program. The average cost of a wheelchair accessible home is nearly double that of a multi-story home, and a wheelchair accessible van on a standard make such as a Honda or Toyota can run $70,000 to $80,000. Because of our large family size, and needing a van that can accommodate Oliver’s wheelchair at such a young age that will be able to grow with him, we do not have the luxury of finding a pre-owned vehicle that can get us by. He uses a special type of wheelchair called a tilt -in-space that sits higher off the ground so it has room to recline. This requires a total modification of the floor of a van so that he has adequate headspace as he grows. We also have high hopes that one day Oliver will be a power chair user. Any vehicle we purchase will need to be able to accommodate the weight and height of a power chair.
We are quite urgently trying to raise money for an accessible van for the reason that he has almost outgrown the manufacturers maximum weight and height for his car seat. Once he outgrows it, he would be unable to sit in a booster seat with a lap belt due to the fact that he has no trunk control. It is also quite taxing for us, his parents, to transfer him in and out of a car seat, especially on days when there are multiple errands to run and we are getting in and out of the vehicle frequently. At the moment, his wheelchair must be lifted manually into the back of the van.
We are so thankful that an organization like Help Hope Live exists, as we have been looking for assistance for the last several years. This enables all donations to be tax deductible, whereas with other crowdfunding sites, donations are considered gifts.
We are so thankful for our amazing little fighter, and we appreciate any donations that you might feel led to give after reading our story. We thank God for all that he does, and know that he provides in all circumstances.
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Oliver has chosen to fundraise for Help Hope Live in part because Help Hope Live assures fiscal accountability of funds raised and tax deductibility for contributors. Contributors can be sure donations will be used to pay or reimburse medical and related expenses. To make a tax-deductible donation to this fundraising campaign, click on the Give button. And please share Oliver’s story on your social media platforms.
For more information, please contact Help Hope Live at 800.642.8399.
Thank you for your support!
