Facing a $50,000 out-of-pocket price tag to get her beloved 28-year-old disabled daughter, Sammy, the wheelchair van she needs, devoted mom Dawn Ritchie has turned to her community for help.
For Dawn Ritchie, being a mother also means being a fierce and persistent advocate. Living with multiple health challenges, Sammy relies on Dawn for 24/7 caregiving. Their community is rallying to help fund an accessible van, which insurance doesn’t cover, through a campaign with the national nonprofit Help Hope Live.
Twenty-eight-year-old Sammy lives with cerebral palsy and chronic epilepsy, in addition to other life-impacting diagnoses. Her health is fragile, requiring support for an impaired immune system monthly to stay healthy. Sammy is non-verbal, uses a wheelchair, and is considered a quadriplegic, but she still has sensation throughout her body.
Over $4,000 has already been raised in Sammy’s honor to help with their quest to secure a safe, accessible, and dependable van.
Donations are tax-deductible at: Sammy and Dawn.
For a young adult like Sammy with disabilities, “having a van means freedom,” Dawn explained.
Despite her medical challenges, mom Dawn says Sammy “is alert, happy, and loves being outdoors and in her community. She loves Barney, The Wiggles, and Santa Claus. She is a brave and courageous girl,” Dawn says. “She inspires me every day and is my hero.”
Dawn is a part-time registered nurse and has been working in nursing since 2008. Living with a disability herself—OA, or osteoarthritis—she supports Sammy’s medical needs on a limited income supplemented by SSDI.
Unlike a GoFundMe campaign, donations to Help Hope Live are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law, and all funds raised will be administered by the nonprofit to cover verified medical and related expenses. Help Hope Live verifies medical and financial need for every patient.