WEYBURN – Isaiah Evans and his family of Weyburn have a new van to bring him home from hospital, following a series of surgeries.
“He loved the van. He has lots of room and can lay comfortably while being transported,” said his educational aide, Shannon Seitz, who helped spearhead the fundraising campaign for the new van.
Seitz noted that Isaiah was placed on traction for three weeks before undergoing a second surgery in April where his spine was fused. He needs to wear a halo and vest for 12 weeks, so it should be taken off early in July.
The campaign raised money to enable the family to buy a mini-van capable of handling Isaiah’s wheelchair, to transport him around the community or to medical appointments, with a goal initially of $100,000. Isaiah attends Legacy Park Elementary School, with the assistance of his educational aide and his nurse, Jan Cibart.
Most of the funds had been raised from several community events and donations by businesses and individuals, with just over $16,000 still owing recently for the lift to be added. Seitz described how the final monies for the van came in.
“I received a call from Dave Moon with D&P Moon Operating Ltd., and he donated $10,000. (His company has previously donated $5,000). I posted on social media we needed $6,000, and within 45 minutes of the post I received a call and the balance was paid off, as Valleyview Petroleum’s putting in the final $6,000,” she said.
“The best call ever was calling Janelle to let her know Isaiah would be coming home in his van,” Seitz added. The lift will be installed on May 29.
She noted his electric wheelchair was mostly just used at school up until now, because there was no way to transport it before the van was purchased.
“It will open so many opportunities for him to be able to move around the farmyard and have that independence,” she said.
