Help Get Cashel & Allie Gardner a Handicap Accessible Van

Cashel and Allie Gardner have Spinal Muscular Atrophy, SMA. SMA is a neuromuscular genetic disease that causes a baby or child to become completely paralyzed from head to toe but can still feel everything. Weakness happens at different degrees, the worst form is Type 1, which is what they have. They cannot walk, sit up, hold up their own heads, swallow or even breathe on their own. When my son, Cashel was diagnosed at 6 months of age the doctor told us to take him home and love him because he would not live to see his second birthday. I never accepted that prognosis and was determined my son would have a life; Cashel is now 16 YEARS OLD! We had another child, Allie, who was also born with SMA and once again we were told by the doctor SHE would not live to see her 2nd birthday either; she will be 14 YEARS OLD in March! The fact is that, many children do die before their 2nd birthday we chose to take all measures needed to help our children survive. They have G-tubes in their stomachs to feed them and tracheotomies and ventilators to breathe for them and by the Grace of God they have and are growing and thriving!

We desperately need a handicap accessible van that can fit both Cashel and Allie's specially made wheelchairs together with all their equipment and supplies, that also has back-up power to run their life sustaining equipment if needed. We need to be able to safely take them to doctor’s appointments, therapy and just have a family outing. They have not been able to go anywhere together for over 5 years. We have to choose which one needs to go to the doctor most or if there is a event one must stay home with one of us. Our family is separated. Cashel and Allie spend 24 hours a day bedridden and we want to show them the world outside of our home, they deserve to be able to go to a park, a movie or to have their dream of a trip to California to see the ocean and visit Disneyland to come true!

I quit my job the moment Cashel was diagnosed with SMA to provide the 24 hour care that he needed. All I want to do in my life is give them the best life and help them see and do things like a regular teenager does. God has always provided for us and given us all we need to care for our special children and I pray He will bless our fundraiser and help open a new world up for Cashel, Allie and our whole family. Thank You so much for any help you can give to us too God Bless, Sandy Gardner For private donations or questions PLEASE contact Sandy Gardner @ sandygn2@yahoo.com