Raise money for power assist for my wheelchair.

Hi there, I'm Ann and I want to express my apologies for having to ask for help. I've tried everything to manage on my own, but it's just not possible. I've been dealing with illness for many years and lost my job in 2020. After losing my job, I found out that I have Functional Neurological Disorder, Endometriosis, and a Quadrigeminal cistern lipoma in my brain. The Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) is untreatable and due to NHS cuts, there's no help or studies available. I have an Assistance Dog named Fern who provides mobility assistance and helps me with things such as getting items for me ,pressing buttons and picking things up when i drop them ect .My husband Tom takes care of me while working from home but he only just earns enough for us to manage so there is no way his money will allow us to save for this. My health issues cause me to lose my balance and often wake up with little to no feeling in my legs, so I rely on a wheelchair most of the time to ensure my safety. On good days can walk a little bit with Ferns help to keep me safe but i must have a person with me incase of a fall. My current powerchair which we got second hand has developed an electrical fault and it's not worth fixing due to its age and extensive rust. I've reached out to wheelchair services for a new manual chair which has been ordered, but they can't provide the power assist called a SmartDrive that I need due to NHS cuts making the criteria extremely strict.

This device would give me the extra power I need to move across uneven ground and hills without causing myself pain. I suffered a fall many years ago that resulted in 2 broken wrists, making it extremely painful and damaging for me to push myself as my wrists are just too weak to manage the load. The charities wheelchair services recommended have informed me that there is little to no available funding, so I've taken it upon myself to start a business making pet accessories to raise the funds I need. Unfortunately, my business income won't be enough to cover the cost of the Smart Drive I require.

I have explored all my options and although I've arranged for modifications to be made to my house to better suit my needs (which will be done soon), I'm still unable to find a solution. I also struggle with a negative self-image due to the hurtful comments made by others when they see me in my wheelchair. Many assume I'm pretending because they've seen me take a few steps. Dealing with constant rudeness has made me hesitant to leave my home as people can be so unkind. I've faced laughter, jokes, and accusations of laziness, which only pushes me to work harder and end up hurting myself. I kindly ask for your understanding and request that you refrain from hurling abuse at me for creating this GoFundMe page. I've exhausted all my options and trying to raise £5000 for a Smartdrive power assist is a significant challenge when you're struggling to make ends meet.

I don't want to burden anyone financially, so if you're able to help, please do. If not, I'd appreciate any ideas you have to help raise the money. Thank you.