Lives changed for the better

Anca

Anca is 30 years old and she was diagnosed at birth with spastic tetraparesis. This affects her mobility, her balance and her coordination in her legs, arms and upper body. She lives in Cluj-Napoca with her parents and they provide her the support she needs every day. One thing that Anca truly enjoys is going to the mountains with her parents. Most of the time this came to be really difficult, because she had no appropriate wheelchair. The rough terrain, combined with her medical condition and the tendency to slip from the wheelchair made it difficult for her and her family to plan a trip. Our colleagues from the Motivation team in Cluj conducted a wheelchair assessment and prescribed a World Made type wheelchair, which is stable and appropriate on rough terrain. In order to accommodate Anca’s position, increased spasticity and to prevent her from slipping out from the wheelchair, our team equipped the wheelchair with a harness and a belt. The adjustments worked for the girl who can now enjoy the magnificent mountain landscapes during winter.

Antonia received the wheelchair through the Wheelchair Fund, with the support of our partners from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of our donors and the companies which support the initiative, in order to #changelives for the better, together!

Antonia

Antonia is 6 years old and she has had a mobility disability since birth. Our colleagues from the Motivation team in Prahova found that the wheelchair she had was not appropriate for her – it was too small and created many areas of pressure, which increased the risk of pressure sores. So, they prescribed her the right mobility equipment for her needs – an active and light wheelchair. which the girl can handle independently.

Once she received an appropriate mobility equipment, Antonia regained her safety and freedom of movement. The wheelchair is her partner in all the activities of the day – when she plays, when she goes for a walk, when she draws or watches cartoons, as well as when she goes to rehabilitation centers.

Antonia received the wheelchair through the Wheelchair Fund, with the support of our friends from Agape Foundation in Sweden, of our donors and the companies which support the initiative, in order to #changelives for the better, together!

Florin

Florin is 28 years old  and we met him when he was just a teenager, in 2011.  Florin has a mobility disability since birth, because of poliomyelitis, and he has to use a wheelchair in order to move around. Over the past years, he participated in different activities organized by Motivation, including independent living trainings and adapted sports events. We provided him support to move on with his studies and confidence to discover and use his abilities. He enjoys playing wheelchair basketball, drawing portraits and spending time with his girlfriend. As he is a very energetic and active person, Florin needs a wheelchair which can keep up with him and can help him overcome architectural barriers. This is why our colleagues from the Motivation team in Prahova recommended a World Made wheelchair when Florin’s old mobility equipment damaged. The new mobility equipment ensures Florin a correct seating position and gives him freedom of movement.

Florin received a wheelchair through the Wheelchair Fund, with the support of our partners from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of our donors and the companies which support the initiative, in order to #changelives for the better, together!

Narcisa

We’ve known Narcisa since she was 5 years old. She was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth and this is why she needs a wheelchair to move around. Her mother provides her all the support she needs and  also motivates her daughter to lead an active life. Together they participated over time in various Motivation activities – trainings on independent living, active rehabilitation camps, adapted sports events,  and both of them understand the importance of an appropriate wheelchair. Narcisa has grown up, she is already 16 years old and she needs a light mobility equipment, to help her stay active and  allow her to have a correct seating position. The solution was an active wheelchair, which was donated by colleagues from the Motivation team from Prahova. The wheelchair fits her perfectly and is easy to handle. Narcisa is optimistic and cheerful; she enjoys listening to music and watching cooking shows. With an appropriate wheelchair, she has the premises of inclusion and an independent life.

Narcisa received the wheelchair through the Wheelchair Fund, with the support of our friends from Agape Foundation in Sweden, of our donors and the companies which support the initiative, in order to #changelives for the better, together!

Ionica

Ionica is 9 years old and needs a wheelchair because of a diagnosis she has had since birth. She lives with her parents and two brothers in the most remote village in a commune in Vrancea County. We found out about the little girl from the community assistant from the village hall, who also helped us to conduct a wheelchair assessment. After that, we donated to the girl a mobility equipment which meets her needs, is active and helps her to move around, to play, to gain her independence.

Before receiving the wheelchair from the Motivation team from Buzău, Ionica was crawling on her knees through the house, but in the yard, where it is gravel, it was very difficult for her. Now, on the paved streets of the village, Ionica already manages to maneuver the wheelchair independently and does not let the adults help her at all – she says that the wheelchair is her car. 🙂

Ionica received the wheelchairs through the Wheelchair Fund, with the support of our friends from Agape Foundation in Sweden, of our donors and the companies which support the initiative, in order to #changelives for the better, together!

David

David is 20 years old and in 2019 he had an accident due to electric shock and falling from a height. Thus he got a spinal cord injury and become a wheelchair user. He has the support of his family, which helped him overcome medical complications and difficult times. Our colleagues met him shortly after the accident and offered him support – information to help him set his expectations about living with a mobility disability and advice on how to overcome obstacles in order to return to an active lifestyle. Because for a while he was not allowed to get out of bed, according to the doctors’ recommendations, David had become impatient to at least sit again, if walking was not expected soon after the accident. For the first weeks when he began to sit up and regain his balance, our colleagues provided him a stable, orthopedic, wheelchair that would provide him with safety. When his skills improved and he became more active, they donated him an active wheelchair, which now helps him move easily, gives him confidence, mobility and extra independence.

David received the wheelchairs through the Wheelchair Fund, with the support of our friends from Agape Foundation in Sweden, of our donors and the companies which support the initiative, in order to #changelives for the better, together!

Emanoil

Emanoil is 45 years old and he lives in a rural area from Buzau County. His both legs were amputated as a result of a train accident, which took place more than 20 years ago. We found out from the village priest that he doesn’t have a wheelchair. Despite this, during the wheelchair assessment visit, he was working to mix concrete in order to pave his yard. He considers that there is always some work to do and you are always busy taking care of the household and the animals, if you live in the countryside. Without a wheelchair, it was very difficult for him to go shopping, to go to town. He used to travel around the village with a cultivator, which he was using also to work in the fields. The wheelchair received as a donation from our colleagues from the Motivation team in Buzau helps him to take care of the household activities and, at the same time, allows him to go shopping, in the city, to the doctor, whenever he needs it. His home is not completely accessible for a wheelchair user, but either alone or with the help of his son, he manages to take the wheelchair out of the house, over the high thresholds, and make the transfer easily. He has the support of his wife and son and he stays active and involved in the household activities.

Emanoil received a wheelchair through the Wheelchair Fund, with the support of our friends from Agape Foundation in Sweden, of our donors and the companies which support the initiative, in order to #changelives for the better, together!

Valerica

Valerica is 39 years old and she has her mobility affected since the age of 14, because of muscular dystrophy.  As time passed, she had to start using a wheelchair to move around. The Motivation team in Galați got in touch with her when her husband asked them for support. They concluded that the wheelchair she had was too large and damaged. So comes that they donated an appropriate mobility equipment, that she can now use easier and safely. She is no longer afraid or ashamed to go out.  Her husband is an active person, who also uses a wheelchair donated by Motivation and he guides her to overcome all the barriers she meets – steps, rough terrain etc. Even though sometimes they have to ask other people for small favors, for Valerica and Giani everything is easier when they are together. Valerica considers herself lucky to have met her husband and she considers that her disability also played a role in all this. process. They met on a social network, then Giani went all the way to Salaj County to meet Valy. Not long after that, they got married and started a family in Galați.

Valerica received a wheelchair through the Wheelchair Fund, with the support of our friends from Agape Foundation in Sweden, of our donors and the companies which support the initiative, in order to #changelives for the better, together!

Daniel

Daniel  is 26 years old an he started using a wheelchair in 2012, because of a medical condition. He lives with his parents in a rural area from Timiș County. They offer him support, especially when it comes to overcome the barriers caused by the lack of accessibility. Daniel met Motivation in 2013, when he was at rehabilitation and needed an appropriate wheelchair. The one he was using was too large for him and it did not provide the postural support he needed; its use was increasing the risk of medical complications. After we donated him a wheelchair, we stayed in touch and Daniel participated in our active rehabilitation programs. Meanwhile, the wheelchair broke, due to prolonged use, especially on rough terrain. This is why our team in Timis has recently donated him an appropriate mobility equipment for the area he lives in and which meets his needs. The wheelchairs ensures a correct position and it helps prevent pressure sores – medical complications that Daniel had to deal with in the past.

Daniel received a wheelchair through the Wheelchair Fund, with the support of our partners from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of our donors and the companies which support the initiative, in order to #changelives for the better, together!

Daria

Daria is 11 years old. She lives with her parents in a rural area from Dâmbovița County. Since birth, she has been diagnosed with spastic tetraparesis, which affects her mobility and coordination both in her legs and arms. After years of using the same wheelchair, Daria was ashamed to go out of the house because of the way her mobility equipment looked – it became too small and damaged. The family had to cover it in blankets in order to feel safer and to hide its broken parts. Sometimes, her mother even chose to carry Daria, rather than to know the girl had to use the damaged wheelchair. It was very difficult, both for the girl and the family. That is why they were all very happy when Daria received a new wheelchair donated by our team in Prahova County. The mobility equipment helps her move around and feel safer.

Daria received a wheelchair through the Wheelchair Fund, with the support of our partners from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of our donors and the companies which support the initiative, in order to #changelives for the better, together!

Ștefan

Ștefan is 33 years old and he has been using a wheelchair since 2016. Our colleagues from the Motivation team in Neamț County got in touch with him and invited him to several activities organized by Motivation, such as the caravan for health assessment and pressure sores prevention, organized in Suceava County, and the active rehabilitation camp, hosted at Văratec, Neamț County. This month, he received a Panthera wheelchair as a donation – which is appropriate for his abilities and active lifestyle. Stefan had previously received another wheelchair from us, in 2018, but, as the time passed, his needs and dimensions changed, so our team recommended a replacement.  The first happy experience where his new wheelchair led him was his own wedding ceremony, which took place short after the wheelchair was delivered. Stefan is passionate about cars and tattoos and our colleagues motivated him to lead an active life and to follow his dreams, including to start a family.

Ștefan received a wheelchair through the Wheelchair Fund, with the support of our friends from Agape Foundation in Sweden, of our donors and the companies which support the initiative, in order to #changelives for the better, together!

Ștefan

Stefan is 12 years old and was born with spastic tetraparesis. He has grown a lot during the last 2 years, since we have met him, and his wheelchair became too small for his needs. It also damaged over the years. This it why, his position was no longer correct and this could lead to postural deformities, moving around in the wheelchair had also become difficult and his spasticity (involuntary muscle contractions) increased, as well as the risk of injury. Under these circumstances, our Motivation team from Prahova conducted a reassessment to identify Ștefan’s needs. Followint this, they donated an appropriate wheelchair for him. For the boy and his family, the mobility equipment received is very helpful and allows him not only to go out for a walk, as he enjoys this, but also to practise rehabilitation exercises in a safe manner. Stefan is an energetic young man and the wheelchair he has allows him to enjoy freedom of movement and age-specific activities – he can play, enjoy outdoor activities and share with friends the latest news online.

Ștefan received a wheelchair through the Wheelchair Fund, with the support of our friends from Agape Foundation in Sweden, of our donors and the companies which support the initiative, in order to #changelives for the better, together!

Calușa

Ms. Calușa is 82 years old and she hasn’t been able to leave her house for three years now, because she has a mobility disability, caused by a stroke. She lives with his daughter and son-in-law in a rural area of ​​Tulcea County. Her daughter contacted us on Facebook and asked us to help her with a wheelchair. Our colleagues from the Motivation team in Constanța conducted a remote wheelchair assessment and donated a mobility equipment to Ms. Calușa. After delivery, based on the photos, we corrected Mrs. Calușa’s seating position to prevent medical complications and make sure she feels comfortable.

With an appropriate wheelchair and the support of her family, she can now leave the house, spend time in nature, in the air, and enjoy the company of neighbors, the garden and the household where she worked so hard before having these health problems. We were very happy to see her having lunch with her family, in the wheelchair she received, waving  optimistic, while we had a video call with her family. It may seem like a small thing from the outside, but after 3 years in bed and even eating there, for Mrs. Calușa it is a major and beneficial change. Ms. Calușa received a wheelchair through the Wheelchair Fund, with the support of our friends from Agape Foundation in Sweden, of our donors and the companies which support the initiative, in order to #changelives for the better, together!

Florin

Florin is 25 years old and he started using a wheelchair one year ago, after a motorcycle accident. Being passionate with sports and optimistic, Florin works hard to be as active and independent as possible. He received a wheelchair from Motivation and he participated in an active rehabilitation program, which lasted for two weeks. During this program, he found out more about living with a spinal cord injury, about dealing with this new situation and accessing his rights. Since then, Florin has made great progress: he had his car adapted and now drives, his self confidence increased in terms of wheelchair handling and he plans to go back to practising sports. His wheelchair should keep up with Florin and this is why our colleagues replaced the equipment with a Panthera lightweight wheelchair. It is easier for Florin to handle it and to put it in the car.

Florin received a wheelchair through the Wheelchair Fund, with the support of our friends from Agape Foundation in Sweden, of our donors and the companies which support the initiative, in order to #changelives for the better, together!

Ruben

Ruben’s mother wrote us an e-mail in June, inspired by the story of another friend of Motivation – Alex. She told us that her son, aged 2 years and a half, needed a wheelchair. She described Ruben as “an active, lively child, with an impressive ambition”, who makes his parent very happy. Despite all these, it became difficult for his parents to provide support for their son, without an appropriate wheelchair. Their son no longer wanted to spend time in his bed or at his table; instead, he was eager to move around. Also, he grew and his mother was no longer able to carry him, especially because she was going to give birth again in September. So comes that our team in Iasi met Ruben, prescribed and donated a Panthera Micro active wheelchair for him. This brought joy to Ruben, as well as to his parents and little sister. Ruben is no longer sad that he cannot do things on his own. Instead, he enjoys his small victories every day.

Even though he is very young, Ruben is really good at wheelchair handling. He moves around inside the house, goes from one room to another, he can leave the house and go on the street and he handles the wheelchair by himself on his way to his grandparents, while his neighbors watch him with admiration. For Ruben, his wheelchair brought freedom and joy! Ruben received her wheelchair within the Wheelchair Fund Program, with the support of our friends from Agape Foundation in Sweden, of our donors and the companies which support the initiative, in order to #changelives for the better, together!

Andrei

Andrei is 9 years old and, with the support of the Motivation team from Galați, he received a Panthera wheelchair as a donation, to replace his old mobility equipment, which had become too small and inappropriate for his needs. Andrei’s mother says that in the absence of an adequate wheelchair, her son would not have been able to go to school, enjoy relaxing activities or explore his abilities. She describes their experience as follows: In our life experience, the wheelchair has meant and still means what  creating aricrafts has meant in history for those who wanted to fly, what building ships has has meant for those who wanted to explore seas and oceans: the broadening of the meanings of life, reaching the human potential and opening up to the unknown promise of our ideals.

Andrei received her wheelchair within the Wheelchair Fund Program, with the support of our friends from Agape Foundation in Sweden, of our donors and the companies which support the initiative, in order to #changelives for the better, together!

Antonia

Antonia is less than 2 years old and she is still discovering the world, at this age. With her Panthera Micro wheelchair, received from our colleagues from the Motivation team in Ilfov, it will be easier for her to explore, to grow up nice and to become independent. For her, this wheelchair seems a new toy, for now; a toy she does not get bored of,  because it helps her to learn something new each day.

Her parents encourage her to move around and to develop her abilities. They found out about Motivation from a rehabilitation center and from other parents. Understanding the importance of an appropriate wheelchair for Antonia’s size and needs, they got in touch with our team. A lightweight wheelchair is good for them too, when they have to help Antonia to overcome obstacles such as steep ramps and stairs.

Antonia received her wheelchair within the Wheelchair Fund Program, with the support of our friends from Agape Foundation in Sweden, of our donors and the companies which support the initiative, in order to #changelives for the better, together!

Alex Nicholas

Alex is one of Motivation’s youngest friends. He is 2 and a half years old and since March he has been using an appropriate wheelchair which increases his mobility. Our colleagues from the Bucharest-Ilfov team donated a Panthera Micro wheelchair, after they had conducted an assessment and had established the boy’s size and needs. Alex is full of energy and the wheelchair he has allows him to play more, explore and try new activities. He goes out with his mother to the park and plays, does puzzles, even dares to help his mother to clean the house, even he considers this to be some sort of a game. He enjoys so much the freedom of movement he has that he moves around in his wheelchair even while learning to count, with his mother’s support.

Alex received his wheelchair within the Wheelchair Fund Program, with the support of our friends from Agape Foundation in Sweden, of our donors and the companies which support the initiative, in order to #changelives for the better, together! Find our more about Alex here.

Darius

Darius is 7 years old and he lives in Bistrița Năsăud. He has recently became part of the group of active wheelchair users, who enjoy more freedom of movement, by using independently their mobility equipment. This was possible because he received an appropriate wheelchair – an active Panthera, which he can handle by himself, in order to play, move around and explore.

Darius was born with a condition that affects his spine and this is why he cannot walk. Before getting in touch with our colleagues at Motivation Cluj, he had no wheelchair at all. He was using a stroller. His mother and sister used to help him reach different places, they used to pull his wheelchair and he was totally depending on them for each movement. Everything changed for him once he got the wheelchair donated by Motivation, with the support of our friends from Agape Foundation in Sweden, of our donors and the companies which support the Wheelchair Fund, in order to #changelives for the better, together!

Irinuca

Irina was 1 year and 3 months old in December 2019, when our colleagues from the Motivation team in Prahova donated her a Panthera Micro – an appropriate wheelchair for her needs Irinuca’s parents are very grateful for the wheelchair and for the freedom of movement it gives to their daughter. Now, Irinuca is able to move around on her own, to play and to explore.

Her older brother is her guide in this journey – he encourages her and teaches her to handle the wheelchair. So comes that Irinuca cannot wait to go and play outdoors, in her courtyard and on the street, in the summer. Irina’s wheelchair will be replaced once she grows up and her needs change.

Irina received her wheelchair within the Wheelchair Fund Program, with the support of our friends from Agape Foundation in Sweden, of our donors and the companies which support the initiative, in order to #changelives for the better, together! Find our more about her story, here.

The Wheelchair Fund is possible with the support of our partners at Motivation: international and local organizations, companies, individual donors, fundraisers. Find out how to join us in order to spin the wheels of change together on our website, here.