Supporting Darren’s Comfort, Safety, and the Activities He Loves
For the McQuade family, everything revolves around making sure Darren can continue doing the things that bring him joy.
Darren is a 13-year-old living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, diagnosed in 2016. Duchenne is a progressive neuromuscular disorder causing a lack of motor, pulmonary, and cardiac function. Darren recently experienced a leg fracture, accelerating the family’s need for safe, accessible transportation. While this transition was anticipated over time, it came suddenly, leaving his family scrambling to adjust.
Right now, Darren relies on a folding power chair for any travel outside the home because his family’s vehicle is not accessible to his larger, properly fitted power wheelchair. That chair can only be transported to and from school using an accessible bus, meaning Darren cannot use it for doctor visits, community activities, or outings with his family.
His dad, Steven, has done everything he can to make their current situation work. Manually lifting and transferring Darren into a compact, non-accessible vehicle has taken a physical toll and is increasingly uncomfortable and unsafe for both of them. Darren deserves to travel in a chair that supports his body properly—and his family deserves a safer way to get him where he needs to go.
Despite these challenges, Darren is determined to stay engaged. He participates in chess club, Olympic airsoft practice, and recently attended a Volt Hockey camp, which are all activities that help him stay active, connected, and confident. Each opportunity requires careful planning, physical effort, and often sacrifice, but his family refuses to let Duchenne take away the experiences that matter most to him.
An accessible vehicle would be life-changing.
The McQuade family is doing everything they can, but purchasing an accessible van on their own is simply not possible.
Through Jett Foundation’s Accessible Vehicle Fund, the McQuade family is working to fundraise half or more of the cost of an accessible vehicle. Once their goal is reached, Jett Foundation will step in to help cover the remaining cost and coordinate the purchase and delivery of a vehicle that supports Darren’s needs now and into the future.
You can help the McQuade family reach this goal to attain the freedom and independence they deserve by donating below!
All donations to Jett Foundation are tax-deductible to the extent allowed under applicable law and is an unrestricted contribution to the Jett Giving Fund. The family is working to raise half the funds needed for their van or more; when they reach their goal, Jett Foundation will cover the remaining costs and coordinate purchase and delivery of the vehicle.
