Van Makes A Huge Difference For Family

Cindy, a single mother caring for a ten year old daughter, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis over 20 years ago has been driving a standard minivan with a scooter lift on the rear of the vehicle.  This has meant loading the heavy power wheelchair at the rear of the vehicle and walking to the front seat to drive.  As Cindy’s condition has progressed it has become very difficult to accomplish this, and she has had to call on the assistance of her daughter.  This has come to mean that Cindy can only travel when her daughter is not in school or away from home.  Cindy has worked with M C Mobility Systems in Ohio to locate a used accessible vehicle to meet her needs.  This allows her to enter the van in her wheelchair and drive from the wheelchair position.  She had saved some money toward the purchase of an adapted van but needed a little assistance from The National Organization for Vehicle Accessibility to complete the purchase.

“Having this van has allowed me to take part in my daughter’s life,” says Cindy.  “Now I can allow her to join sports at school without wondering how to get her there.  It has given me the independence to go to doctor appointments at my convenience rather than depending on someone to take me. I have MS and it is debilitating in itself but now I feel as though I have regained some control over my life.”

The National Organization for Vehicle Accessibility operates under funding cycles.  A new cycle will be announced later in the year.  At that time the application will be available online.  Applicants need to have much of their funding secured and need to be working with a National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association certified mobility dealer.  A listing  of these dealers is located at http://www.nmeda.com/locate-a-dealer/