A lot of people wouldn’t think much about the chore of mowing their lawn – they might even dread it. But for Marc, a 48 year old with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Menier’s disease, mowing the grass is a privilege he takes pride in. As a child Marc had such severe hay fever he was not allowed to mow the lawn, which of course made him want to do it all the more!
Later in life, as a treatment for his MS, Marc underwent a stem cell transplant which had the side effect of eliminating his hay fever – now he could mow the lawn! But without a ramp it was very difficult, and dangerous, for Marc to get outside; he has experienced many falls getting from his home to the riding lawn mower. Through our Ramp-Up program, Disability Network Southwest Michigan coordinated a ramp-build on Marc’s home and he can now safely access his yard, as well as his entire community.
We received a letter of thanks from Marc in which he explained that that even though it takes a long time for him to complete the task of mowing the lawn, it gives him a great sense of accomplishment and empowerment. Marc said, “I want to be a useful husband to my wife, and Multiple Sclerosis and Menier’s disease has robbed me of a lot of that. I am very happy to get that back!”
Your Ramp-a-Thon donation could help build a ramp for someone in need! Ramp-a-Thon supports our Ramp Up program which builds or purchases ramps for people with mobility disabilities in Southwest Michigan. No donation is too big or too small! Please use the button below to make your on-line donation or contact Kristen Potts (269-345-1516 x119) in our Kalamazoo office for other donation methods.