Redruth’s Samantha Bond and the wheelchair that keeps breaking down

Think of something you’ve owned for 22 years and still rely on every single day. For Samantha Bond, it’s the thing that gets her out of the front door.

Samantha lives in Redruth. She is 2ft 6in tall and has a type of dwarfism called diastrophic dysplasia. She lives on her own, and her electric wheelchair is how she gets about, stays safe and gets out to enjoy life.

That chair is now more than 22 years old. It’s obsolete, it keeps breaking down, and it’s back in the workshop again.

A chair running out of parts

Many of the parts it needs are no longer available. According to her fundraising page, keeping it going has meant having parts custom-made, and a motor failure once left her stranded at the side of the road.

“Without a suitable electric wheelchair, I would be completely housebound, and I really don’t want to lose the independence I’ve worked so hard to achieve,” Samantha said.

Why a standard wheelchair won’t do

Because of her height, most electric wheelchairs simply aren’t suitable. “Most have seat heights that come up to my chest!” she explained.

After lots of research and assessments, she has found one that is: the Precision Rehab Piccolino by PARAVAN. Its specialist seating and height adjustments let her lower and raise the seat as needed, all the way to the floor, so she can get on easily.

That matters for the everyday stuff. It means she can transfer safely, reach the things she needs and carry on living independently.

The catch is the price. The Piccolino costs £26,000, and her page says other funding routes haven’t covered it.

£20,161 still to find

Samantha set up the appeal, Empower My Wheels, Empower My Life, with co-organiser Annie Patton. So far, 118 donations have brought in £5,839, which she says she’s incredibly grateful for. That leaves £20,161 to go.

Every donation goes directly towards buying the new chair, whether it’s £5, £10, £20 or more.

Other ways to help

Money isn’t the only thing she’s asking for. Samantha would like people to share her page, and she’d love to hear about any charities, organisations, grants, fundraising opportunities or businesses that might be able to help.

“I’m keen to explore every possible avenue to make this happen,” she said.

You can donate or share the appeal on Samantha’s GoFundMe page.

As she puts it, the right chair is “the difference between being able to live independently and becoming housebound.”