Help me get my DREAM Wheelchair!

Hello friends, family and all those reading this! 

First and foremost, thank you for even clicking here to read my story.

My name is Kristie Lent and I am a 38 year wife and mom to 3 furkids. I have built a life in Anchorage, Alaska for the last 15 years and am proud to call it home. I am also an avid photographer and love photographing the beauty and nature of Alaska. I also love photographing animals, especially sleddogs. Photographing the Iditarod is the highlight of my year.

I was born with a birth defect called Spina Bifida which affects my mobility. I have been using a wheelchair the majority of my life. I try my hardest not to let my disability interfere with enjoying my life to its fullest. I love getting outdoors as much as I can. I won't lie though, it is difficult to try and do the things I really want to do. I take nothing for granted. The smallest activity such as taking my dogs for their walks is a challenge! 

I struggle every day with pain and this on top of physical barriers, both natural and man-made, do make for some interesting and frustrating challenges. The last 3-4 years my health has not been at its best and has included alot of bedrest! I don't want to bore you with details, let's just say it hasn't been fun watching my friends be able to get out and go do things while I have been stuck in bed at home. I miss the ability to take my dogs for their walks in the summer and being able to take them to the dog park and play with them. I have to rest about every 4 hours or so which can make a full day of activity tough because I try and cram as much in as I can before getting tired.  

While the ADA has made my life better as far as man-made accessability, let's just say that Mother Nature doesn't have to adhere to the laws of man and getting outdoors is still a challenge. Snow, sand, gravel, mud and grass and regular wheelchairs DO NOT mix well! Also, if there are guardrails present anywhere, forget about getting to see any of the view from a wheelchair as well!

My husband  is a really strong guy and will help get me just about anywhere I want to go, but it isn't always safe and I often worry about him falling or having a heart attack just trying to push me up a hill if we try and venture on a hike or nature walk. When I go visit my parents we have to plan activities that are both safe for me and my dad. He is getting older and unable to help as much and my mom simply isn't strong enough anymore. 

I tell you all of this not to make you feel sorry for me, but to give you an idea of what someone in a wheelchair goes through and what I miss out on. 

Through the years, we have researched wheelchair designs that would be able to help get me outdoors more. By outdoors, I don't just mean out my front door. I mean, really get into nature like I love to do. Finding one that would suit my particular needs has not been easy. My wonderful husband has scoured the internet, talked with friends who are welders, etc. all in an effort to get me my dream chair. So far everything we have found have been extremely expensive or impractical! However, my husband recently discovered a new chair that we believe finally meets my needs:

The Action Track Chair (The http://www.actiontrackchair.com/Default.aspx#.VsOF6_IrLIU) will allow me the freedom to get outside and enjoy all that Alaska has to offer! It is also portable enough we should be able to take it with us on vacation (hopefully). The one I am looking at also has the ability to be a stander! This will provide two benefits. First is the health benefit of being able to stand for a period of time and help me regain strength in my legs, avoid pressure sores from sitting too long and increase circulation in my legs. The second is that I will have more independence to be able to do my photography the way I really want to and be able to see the things everyone else gets to see! My dream is to be able to get out onto the Iditarod trail more and photograph the dogsled teams like my friend Jeff Schultz gets to do!

This particular model has treads that can easily go over the different terrains we have here in Alaska from snow and ice to mud and grass and gravel and yes even the sand in the couple of beaches we have here! 

We chose this particular model because it is easier to identify as a wheelchair/mobility aid and shouldn't be a problem with trails that don't allow ATV's and this particular model also has the option for a rear controller so that Daniel can help drive it when I need him too (i.e. when I am taking a picture, my arms give out, etc).

It's very expensive though. I realize this. I hate asking for money for it, I really do. I hate asking for things period, I am not a selfish person at all and I would much rather help someone else in need before asking for help for myself, but this is way beyond our means and insurance will not pay for it.  This would mean the world to me! It wouldn't just mean that I can get outside, I can do that now. 

Getting this chair would mean that I can ENJOY the outdoors and not just watch everyone from the sidelines. It would mean inclusion into activities with my friends and family. It would mean that we wouldn't have to stress about whether or not we can go somewhere or that family and friends would have to accomodate activities just for me. It will give me the independence I need to be able to really ENJOY life to the fullest! With Iditarod approaching and also summer, I am hoping to raise enough funds through this campaign to be able to use it this year, but will leave the campaign up for as long as they allow until all the goal is met.

The money that is raised will go toward all aspects of acquiring this wheelchair, including transport to Alaska, taxes that we might incur from raising such a large amount and any additional and necessary add-ons for the wheelchair. I believe in full disclosure of any funds I raise for anything so if anyone ever has questions about where or how the money is spent please let me know.

Again, thank you so much for taking the time to even read this. Even if you are unable to donate financially, if you can at least share this with others to help spread the word I would be forever grateful! Thank you so much in advance from the bottom of my heart!