Dave's Wheels on the Road to More Independence

My name is Cindy Seehusen and as a member of Dave's Fight Club, I am fundraising for my brother Dave Cozzolino who was diagnosed with ALS in June of 2021. I remember that at the beginning of October 2021, our family got together for another brother's wedding in Phoenix, AZ. Dave remarked that he felt that something wasn't quite right and that he wasn't sure what was going on. By the end of 2021, he was having mobility issues with his neck and was beginning to slur his words and having some difficulty eating. He went to his doctor and had test after test. The Dr. told him he didn't know what was going on and that he had reached the limit of his ability to help him. After many more doctors and tests, a doctor from Northwestern was able to give him the diagnosis of ALS. ALS is not curable and Dave was told that his condition would worsen and that there was no cure. He was put in touch with the Les Turner organization which has been such a help for Dave and his partner Ken.

As Dave's condition has progressed, he utilizes an electric wheelchair to get around easier and more comfortably. What Dave and Ken do not have is a wheelchair-accessible van. Dave and Ken have researched grants and organizations to help offset the cost of a wheelchair-accessible van and have found nothing that can help them. Dave has had to give up his business of owning a pet store in the suburb of Chicago due to his condition so it is not feasible for them to be able to afford the wheelchair-accessible van. A wheelchair-accessible van costs as much as $90,000.

As family and friends watching Dave go through all of the new obstacles of ALS, we often feel powerless and at a loss of what to do for our partner, son, brother, uncle, in-law and friend. Our wish, our goal for Dave is that we can give Dave as much independence as possible for as long as possible by giving him a vehicle that will assist him in visiting family, doctors, friends, and support groups, or as simple as being able to take a drive with Ken to enjoy the outdoors or anything else they want to do. We want Dave to have a quality of life for as long as possible. With this in mind, as Dave's Fight Club, we are asking for donations to assist in getting him that wheelchair-accessible van as quickly as possible. The picture you see above is of Dave and his family at a recent family reunion. Dave was able to get a rental that an organization donated for him to borrow an accessible van to come to the reunion. It meant so much to our family that he and Ken were able to come. We treasured that time as a family and were grateful to the people who made it possible.

Now we want him to be able to do stuff like that whenever HE wants to and for as long as he wants to. The wheelchair-accessible van can give Dave that feeling of independence while allowing him to ride in the electric wheelchair which is more comfortable for him. As Dave's Fight Club, we thank you for any contribution received. It truly takes a village to give Dave that road to more independence.