On July 23rd, 2025, the Kumaresan family marked a milestone that will reshape their daily lives and future adventures: the delivery of their brand-new accessible van, made possible through Jett Foundation’s Accessible Vehicle Fund branch of the Jett Giving Fund and the generous support of their community.
The Kumaresans – parents Kumar and Gokulalakshmi, and their 8-year-old son Pranav – live in New Market, Maryland, where they’ve faced mounting transportation challenges since Pranav’s diagnosis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Pranav, a bright and kind-hearted boy, now uses a power wheelchair full-time. While his independence and spirit have only grown, so too have the logistical obstacles involved in simply getting from place to place.
“We applied to the Accessible Vehicle Fund to gain safe and convenient transportation for Pranav,” the family shared. “We were carrying him in and out of a regular vehicle, which was becoming very difficult and unsafe.”
Like many families impacted by Duchenne, the Kumaresans found themselves juggling complex medical needs, school, and everyday routines with an increasing physical burden. Transporting Pranav meant manually lifting him and storing his power chair separately, requiring time, strength, and careful coordination. “With Pranav growing bigger and heavier,” Kumar said, “it was clear we needed a better solution.”
That solution came in the form of their new wheelchair-accessible van, offering not only ease and safety, but an opportunity to embrace life more fully and spontaneously.
“With this new van, we’re excited to visit local parks and places that Pranav enjoys,” they said. “We’re looking forward to being more active as a family, without having to worry about the logistics of getting his chair in and out every time.”
The van now allows Pranav to stay in his power chair during transit, providing both comfort and dignity, all while giving his parents peace of mind and relief from the physical strain they had previously carried alone.
To others navigating the fundraising journey, the Kumaresans offer advice: “Keep going. It will make a huge difference in your child’s and family’s life.”
As they move forward, the family is filled with gratitude, hope, and renewed freedom to explore the world around them.
The Accessible Vehicle Fund is a branch of Jett Foundation’s Jett Giving Fund program and has helped transform the lives of countless families across the country since its inaugural cycle in 2017, gifting over $5.5 million worth of accessible vehicles, small medical equipment, and emergency assistance thanks to the generous support of individual donors, local communities, and major sponsors including Cure Dale’s Duchenne, The Flatley Foundation, Sarepta Therapeutics, Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Finn’s Friends, ITF Therapeutics, Kindness Over Muscular Dystrophy, The Killian Family, Michael’s Cause, Robert E. & Marie Orr Smith Foundation, and Ryan’s Quest.
You can assist families impacted by Duchenne through the Accessible Vehicle Fund, Emergency Fund, and Equipment Assistance Fund by donating today or reaching out to Maura Carroll, Director of Development, at [email protected] to learn more about sponsorship opportunities. If you or someone you know is in need of support or would like more information on our Jett Giving Fund, please visit www.jettfoundation.org/giving-fund.
