Dawn Fornier and Mike Shipka deliver a BraunAbility Entervan to Jason Philips. A customer donated the van to the nonprofit Camp Craig Allen and asked that it be given to another family in need of mobility.
Like so many of our customers, getting from Point A to Point B was never easy for Jason Roberts and his mother, Phyllis. Jason was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy at the age of five and began using a wheelchair at nine. Since day one his mother, Phyllis, has been his primary caregiver, and after their many other medical expenses, they've never been able to afford an [accessible vehicle][3].
While their mobility was limited, they never let that slow them down completely. It hasn't been easy, but for decades Phyllis has transferred her son into and out of a vehicle. And while Jason has never been heavy, it's still work to get him in and out of a car….a LOT of work. Every trip involves Phyllis lifting up Jason, transferring him into the car, and then stowing his power chair. The transfer process can be very stressful on Jason's body, so once he's secured, she'll give him a breathing treatment to help him regain his strength and help him breathe on his own again. The whole process can take up to 45 minutes each way.
That was life, for Jason and Phyllis, and while it wasn't easy, they made it work. They've taken some remarkable trips in recent years, including a drive out to Las Vegas and a visit to Bob Marley's burial site in Jamaica. But trips like this will become much, much easier after the surprise they received this past October, all thanks to a customer of [Advanced Mobility Systems][4] in Texas who had contacted the dealership and informed them that he no longer had a need for his accessible van. His wife had recently passed away from ALS, and he wanted to donate the [Entervan][3] to a family in need. With the help of Advanced Mobility, the customer was able to donate the [wheelchair van][3] to the nonprofit [Camp Craig Allen][5] (a camp for adults with physical disabilities), who in turn surprised Jason and his parents with the new vehicle.
The family was overjoyed. Not only would simple trips become easier, but now Jason had an added peace of mind knowing that his mother, who had suffered two heart attacks, would not have to exert so much of her energy just to take him into town. "The ease of getting into and out of the vehicle is so much simpler for them now," said Jennifer Satery of Advanced Mobility. "What took two hours before takes just two minutes."
With the BraunAbility van - and the big hearts of everyone involved - Phyllis and Jason have freedom they've never experienced before. They can do more, go more places and enjoy life more with a little less worry…and that's exactly what you get with the BraunAbility brand on your van and a BraunAbility dealer there to keep you on the road!
[1]: http://www.braunability.com/abilityvoice/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Jason1-300x191.jpg (Jason1)
[2]: http://www.braunability.com/abilityvoice/2012/01/an-end-to-transfers-for-this-texas-family/jason1-2/
[3]: http://www.braunability.com/wheelchair-minivans.cfm
[4]: http://www.advancedmobility.net/Express2.0/index.php
[5]: http://www.campcraigallen.org/
URL: http://www.braunability.com/abilityvoice/2012/01/an-end-to-transfers-for-this-texas-family/
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