Handicap Van for Becca

Hi,
My name is Wesley Taylor and I am a 28 year veteran of the Richmond Fire Department.  I have been involved with The Muscular Dystrophy Association for 18 years, first as coordinator of our annual Fill The Boot Campaign and now as Activities Director for MDA Summer Camp in Wakefield, VA.   Camp is held the second week of June every year. 

I first met Becca (Rebecca) Denius when she was 9 years old and had just been diagnosed with Friedreich's Ataxia muscular dystrophy.  It was her first year of camp and she was a shy, frightened little girl with an infectious smile.  I immediately fell in love with her and she became one of my favorite MDA kids.

  Over the years I have gotten to watch her grow into an amazing, confident young lady who had suffered through the taunts and bullying of schoolmates due to her disability.  She has endured all this and thrived to become an inspiration.   

When I first met Becca she was still walking, but with some difficulty.  Becca's muscular dystrophy has progressed to the point that she will be in a wheelchair for the rest of her life.  She has lost much of her mobility and has had to have 3 spinal fusion surgeries.  She will turn 18 and graduate high school (and MDA Summer Camp!) this year.  Unfortunately, as popular as she is, it is next to impossible for Becca to go out with her friends or have much of a social life due to the size and weight of her power chair.  Her father passed away many years ago and her mom does not make enough to afford to buy a handicap accessible van.

With this van Becca's friends could take her places, she can get a job after she finishes school or continue her ecucation and not have to be left out of all the things we take for granted.

A decent used handicap van runs in the neighborhood of $25,000.  Becca has become like a daughter to me and my goal is to surprise her with it when she graduates camp in June.  I know this is a lofty goal, but I also have learned over the last 18 years that people have huge hearts when the cause is good. 

If anyone wants to learn more about Becca, you can go to her Facebook page (look for Becca Deius in Richmond VA) or see our summer camp page under "MDA Camp Wakefield VA".   You may also visit my Facebook page to see lots more pictures of Becca and all the other children at camp.   For confirmation that this is a legitimate request you may also call the Richmond MDA office by phone or email.  

This has got to be a total surprise, so please don't try to friend her or send her any messages, at least until afte the second week of June!

Thanks for reading this far, God Bless and thanks in advance for any donations to the cause.