Who’s in the mood to help grant a young girl her Christmas wish this year?!
People who know 10-year-old Paola Vega describe her as a cute, spunky princess who can’t get enough of makeup, jewelry, and the color pink. And of course– every princess has a throne.
In Paola’s case, her throne is a pink electric wheelchair to help her in her fight with spinal muscular atrophy type II.
What is Spinal Muscular Atrophy
Affecting approximately 1 in 10,000 people, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a rare genetic disorder that causes mild to severe muscle weakness and degeneration. The types of spinal muscular atrophy vary based on severity and age the condition was developed.
Type II – which Paola has – develops in children between six and 12 months and those affected usually cannot stand or walk independently.
Click here to learn more about SMA.
A Wish for Independence
“When I’m in my electric wheelchair, I can be myself,” said Paola. “I can move around by myself. I can try to do things by myself.”
Currently, Paola can only use her electric wheelchair to go to and from school, since the school bus has a motorized ramp that helps her boarding and exiting easily.
It is that ease that Paola seeks; the ramp can help her be mobile and independent. It’s not just for her sake, but also for her 1-year-old brother Adriel, who was also diagnosed with SMA.
For Paola, a wheelchair-accessible vehicle would mean that instead of staying home all the time, she could join her mother out and about, whether it be running errands or going to Paola’s favorite store: Walmart!
“[Walmart] has a lot of stuff and my mom always shops there!” Paola said. “If I was there with her, instead of pushing me and my brothers, then she could only push my brothers so then she won’t have to have her hands full.”
“My wish is at least a used car or something with a ramp inside, so I can be able to transport my electric wheelchair anywhere I go, so I can help Mommy.”
That’s where we step in!
Her family has created a GoFundMe page to help raise the necessary funds to purchase that vehicle that can make Paola – and Adriel’s- life better.
As of this writing, they’ve raised a little over $5,000 which is about a halfway to their goal of $10,000.
Let’s help this girl get her Christmas wish!
