Nicole Toscano

Hello amazing humans! Thank you for clicking on my link! My name’s Nicole and my service dog is Porter! I am needing donations for a wheelchair accessible van! After a car accident in July, I am now without a wheelchair accessible van for the first time in 10 years. By donating as you’re able, spreading the word, and supporting me, I will be able to buy a wheelchair accessible van for me and Porter. This will allow me the independence to truly live my life outside my home, travel to see my family in New Hampshire, my friends, and to drive to my new job as a therapist!

Please consider giving a tax-deductible donation and sharing my page. Help me return to the level of independence that will allow me to continue to live a full life. More about me? Click ”see all”!

Hello everyone! I am a 32 year old therapist, specializing in grief.  When I was 15 years old, I started experiencing debilitating health issues that we now know to be caused by Ehler’s Danlos Syndrome, a connective tissue disorder that affects every part of my life. Along with many other diagnoses, I also live with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), a nerve pain condition in my left leg that causes extreme pain, swelling, coloring change, and severe muscle spasms that contort my foot. Because of this, I cannot walk (although I am working on it 🤞).

I am lucky to be able to use a power wheelchair to navigate through life and continue to socialize, spend extremely valued time with friends and family, and experience a level of independence I wouldn’t have otherwise.

However, when you use a power chair, you need a specialized vehicle to transport the chair.l, which I no longer have. This means I have to rely on my amazing mom, Jamie, to drive me everywhere; from medical appointments (at least 4 days a week), to seeing friends and family. Then she helps me get around in a manual wheelchair. The strain the manual wheelchair puts on my body is enormous, but it also puts a tremendous amount of strain on my mental health. Not being able to go outside of my home without help makes my life very small compared to when I had a wheelchair accessible van and can use my power chair. I am more isolated, unable to do normal activities that would allow me to contribute as an active participant in my life, and creates a lot more stress and angst.

With a wheelchair accessible van, I can

-spend the weekend with my sister, brother-in-law and my 3 fur-nieces/nephew.

-go see my other family in NH whom I adore

-meet with friends out and about.

-go to the botanical gardens and spend the day soaking in the beautiful nature around me.

-take my service dog, Porter, to different trails to get a nice walk in, or go meet with his furry friends for playdates.

-have the opportunity to live as full and enriching life as I can

And most importantly: I am starting an amazing job as a therapist! This job is everything I could ever hope for and more. While I can start virtually, I need to be able to go into my office and see clients in person, which allows me to be a better therapist for my clients, and meet my own career goals. Having a wheelchair accessible car would allow me that freedom and access that I don’t currently have.

I am so grateful for being able to use a manual wheelchair, other cannot, but the independence my powerchair brings is unparalleled.

By donating what you can, spreading the word, and helping me reach my goals of getting a wheelchair accessible van, you will be helping me fully live my life. I cannot thank everyone enough for their support, understanding, and commitment to make this happen! Hopefully we can get started strong and I can put a down payment on a car, and then I can pay off the loan. Porter and I will keep you updated on our adventures and I cannot wait to show you to see where life takes us next!