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To whom it may concern,
My names is Stacie Bhana I am eighteen years old and suffer from Spinal Muscular Atrophy. In 2012 I met the wonderful Tony Burns, before this mum had been transporting me to and from appointments etc, in our Magna. Mum would have to lift me and my manual wheelchair in and out of the car to make this possible, as I have limited strength in my arms I also had to rely on mum to push my manual wheelchair.
Tony with his amazing team (especially the John Maclean Foundation and Tony’s motivator / mentor the incredible John Maclean) worked tirelessly towards raising funds to get mum and I the wheelchair accessible vehicle which was successfully handed over to us in August of 2013.
There are no words that can thank Tony and his team of amazing people, enough for what he has provided for us. Mum is now no longer lifting me in and out of the car as I can now use my electric wheelchair wherever we go, also giving me an independence that I could have only dreamed of before we met Tony burns. Being able to go places without having to rely on anyone to push me to where I want to go, I am able to do small things that I could not have done before such as food shopping as mum can now push the shopping cart beside me.
I have also been able to do more things with my friends such as going to places like Manton Dam to watch them jet ski and generally have a great time.
Being able to access places that before seemed near impossible with my manual wheelchair and having the independence of being able to move around and do things myself is priceless and we have Tony and his team to thank for that. He is one amazing, selfless, beautiful person. He is our BIG hero!! Thank you Tony.
– Letter from Stacie Bhana, May 2014
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MEET STACIE BHANA
Stacie Bhana, diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy – Type II, relies on her mother for all personal care needs and transfers to her wheelchair. Unfortunately, her mother's slight build made lifting Stacie in and out of their car a risk to her own health. If her mother were to get injured, Stacie's care would be compromised. As a full-time caregiver, Stacie's mother lacked the income to purchase a suitable vehicle or modify one for wheelchair access, with limited government funding support of $2,000 for vehicle modifications.
Through the fundraising efforts of JMF Ambassador Tony Burns, Stacie received a modified vehicle that eliminates the need for lifting. This significant improvement has greatly enhanced the quality of life for both Stacie and her mother.
Vehicle