Raising Funds for an Accessible Van
The Dinh Family lives in Dracut, Massachusetts, and is currently navigating life with a Duchenne muscular dystrophy diagnosis. Steven (14) and Simon (10) Dinh were diagnosed with Duchenne at a very young age. They have had to face many challenges as the disease progressively takes a larger toll on their bodies. They also have a younger brother, Dennis, who was born in 2021.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a progressive neuromuscular disorder that causes a loss of motor, pulmonary, and cardiac function. Steven and Simon rely on power chairs to move about and are cared for full-time by their parents, Kristina and Si. Steven and Simon enjoy cooking, playing video games, and learning at school.
Steven and Simon must be lifted into their current vehicle to leave the home, as their chairs do not fit. Their parents have experienced injury and exhaustion from manually lifting each boy and can no longer do it on their own. Kristina was forced to leave her job to care for the boys.
The Dinh Family also had a hard time confronting their Duchenne diagnosis for many years. Through Jett Foundation Family Support Groups and assistance from the community, the family has been able to open up and accept help.
“For a long time, we tried to hide what our family was going through as we saw it as a negative,” says Kristina and Si. “In Vietnamese culture, it can be thought of as doing something wrong in a past life to receive a diagnosis like Duchenne. But we know now that we need to do our best to support the boys and give them a good life.”
Traveling to medical appointments, school, tutoring, and daily activities is unsafe and inaccessible for the Dinh Family. Kristina and Si share, “An accessible van would allow us to leave the home together and safely. We would be able to bring their proper medical equipment with us and show them new places like they deserve.”
As participants in Jett Foundation’s Accessible Vehicle Fund branch of the Jett Giving Fund, the Dinh Family will aim to raise half or more of the funds needed for their accessible vehicle before Jett Foundation steps in to cover the remaining costs and purchase the vehicle outright.
The Dinh family has met their fundraising goal and received accessible transportation thanks to supporters like you! You can still support our program and future program participants with a gift to Jett Foundation today:
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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.
