Working Together To Move Vivian Forward

2/12/10

Vivian Riveria was one of our first wheelchair recipients in 1995 when she was just two-years old. After outgrowing her first chair, we helped Vivian a second time in early 2,000. Late last summer we were contacted by our friends at Healing the Children of Michigan, the organization that has provided financial support to bring Vivian to Grand Rapids in the past. They informed us that Vivian was in need of another manual wheelchair as her chair was nearly 10-years old and no longer fitting properly. 

Alternatives in Motion teamed up with Healing the Children to make Vivian’s dream for a better fitting manual wheelchair a reality. The initial fundraising to partly cover the cost of a new wheelchair was done through Healing the Children. Through our strong local connection with Carelinc Home Medical we identified a few wheelchairs that met Vivian’s mobility needs and fit our established budget. From there, everyone involved agreed it would be best for Vivian to come to Grand Rapids for a professional fitting and evaluation.

Again, Healing the Children stepped up to the plate and provided a flight to Grand Rapids and housing for Vivian with a host family. A few hours after arriving at the airport, Vivian showed up at Carelinc Home Medical for her evaluation. Despite trying several different wheelchairs and hours of adjustments, we couldn’t find a chair that fit properly. As much as we all wanted to send Vivian back to Guatemala in a brand new chair, we knew it would be better for Vivian to have a custom built wheelchair.  

Carelinc took the custom measurements and had a chair made that was exactly what Vivian needed.   As Vivian and her family were anxiously awaiting the arrival of her new wheelchair, Healing the Children was working with their volunteers to arrange the wheelchair’s “delivery” to Guatemala. The wheelchair arrived just before Christmas! This week we received a picture of Vivian in her new chair, a chair that should last her many years to come.

Thanks to Healing the Children of Michigan and Carelinc Home Medical we were able to work together to solve Vivian’s mobility issues so she can keep moving forward!

~Matt Chapman
Director of Marketing & Special Events