Fundraising for an Accessible Van
Siblings long for spending their childhood playing outside, taking family road trips, learning together at school, and so much more. All this holds true for the five siblings of the Gardiner family but with additional obstacles brought on by a Duchenne muscular dystrophy diagnosis. Luke Gardiner was diagnosed with Duchenne at six years old, eventually losing his ability to walk and move independently. Now 13, he relies on help from his parents and siblings to go anywhere.
Duchenne is a progressive neuromuscular disorder causing a loss of motor, pulmonary, and cardiac function. Cared for by his mother Lauren in Ellijay, Georgia, Luke and his family experience difficulties everyday when it comes to travel, medical appointments, and much more.
“Neither of our vehicles will fit our whole family and it is a long, difficult process to take Luke’s wheelchair with us,” shares Lauren. “We are still manually lifting him into the car, which has been painful and dangerous for all of us, including Luke. Simply getting to the doctor’s office is an all-day affair.”
Luke most enjoys fishing, hunting, and playing sports outdoors with his siblings. However, he is limited in opportunities that most 13-year-olds have while relying on a power wheelchair to get around, including no safe way to transport it. Lauren shares “Right now it is nearly impossible to go anywhere. All we want for Luke is to be able to pull into an accessible van and feel comfortable no matter where we go.”
After connecting with the team at Jett Foundation during a Duchenne conference, the Gardiner family finds themselves participating in the Accessible Vehicle Fund branch of the Jett Giving Fund. Luke and his family will aim to raise half or more of the necessary funds for their new accessible vehicle before Jett Foundation covers the remaining expenses and purchases the vehicle outright.
The Gardiner 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:
Donate Today
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.
