What started as a GoFundMe to help one family has turned into a much bigger effort—and raises the issue of accessibility.
Lyndon Andersen, a five-year-old boy with cerebral palsy, loves spending time with his family and getting outside to explore. He is learning to walk, but is still confined to a wheelchair.
After waiting on a list, his mother was recently able to borrow a Hippocampe from the Janeway. The all-terrain wheelchair allows people with disabilities to venture off the beaten path. It proved to be life-changing for the family, but they were only able to hold onto it for three weeks.
Lyndon’s aunt, Vickii Stamp says there’s no coverage for that piece of equipment. She launched a GoFundMe page a week ago with the goal to raise enough money to purchase a personalized Hippocampe for Lyndon. Once he’s outgrown it, the wheelchair will be donated to the Janeway for others to use.
Stamp says the campaign was initially just for Lyndon, but after quickly exceeding their goal of $8,000, they decided to take it a step further to try to secure more Hippocampes for other families to use.
It’s believed there are only four such wheelchairs in St. John’s. They’re hoping to shorten the waitlist by securing more Hippocampes for other families to use.
Stamp describes it as a whirlwind of a week. Their new goal is $13,500 so they can purchase another base-model wheelchair to donate to the Janeway immediately.
(Photo: Adina Stamp)
For Stamp and many others, activities like walking down the street to the store are easy. But in a wheelchair, there is a lot to be taken into consideration, and people need to make sure they can get to their destination on a route that is safe.
Stamp reflects on a recent incident when Lyndon and his mother got stuck on six separate occasions while out for a walk on a trail near the Janeway. She says that’s just one example, and that there are many more like Lydon who are left out or put in dangerous situations.
Thankfully they were helped, she says, but Stamp wonders how long someone may remain stuck if they were out by themselves. She also believes that ensuring trails are groomed and accessible is important for many in the community.
