Anna, 49, lives with her husband in an immaculately-kept home in Costa Rica.
Diagnosed with polio at the age of seven months, Anna has never let circumstances quench her spirit and is determined to do whatever she can on her own. She had been using an old pair of crutches to move short distances within her home.
Anna makes a living as a seamstress, having taught herself how to sew. She made all the curtains and bedding in her home, and when members of our distribution team visited her, she was working on a blue dress that was commissioned by a neighborhood family.
When Anna received a new GEN_3 wheelchair, she transferred herself into it after being trained on proper wheelchair use by our local distribution partner. She was especially grateful for this gift because she will need a wheelchair when she recovers from an upcoming hip surgery.
Before our team left, Anna broke into tears and shared how overwhelmed she was feeling: her husband was recently diagnosed with cancer, and she knows she’ll have to grow her sewing business in order to help support the family while he undergoes treatment.
With her new wheelchair, Anna is hopeful that she can meet the challenge by going into the community to advertise her business and make deliveries to her customers.
One of our ambassadors, who uses a wheelchair herself, recently said that individuals like Anna “don’t need pity, they need a wheelchair.”
Anna has the drive, the talent, and the sewing equipment she needs to earn a living, and thanks to the generosity of friends like you, she now has the wheelchair she needs to help her tackle this next season of life.
Thank you for giving the gift of renewed independence and hope.
