Eleanor's Dream Dinosaur Dig
Donation protected
My name is Eleanor Beidatsch, I am a 22 year old Biology student at University in Albany, WA, and I have always loved dinosaurs and fossils. I was born with a disability, Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) . SMA causes progressive muscular weakness. I am in a wheelchair, have trouble breathing and can only move a few fingers and my head from side to side. My neurologist doesn't even want me to fly in case it collapses my lungs. Ever since I was a kid I have wanted to study paleontology (that is digging up fossil) but there are no universities that offer the degree in WA, and my disease means I can't travel there to study.
But there is one paleontological dig that I can attend. It is in Lightning Ridge, NSW, and will be run during August next year. It’s called the Lightning Ridge Fossil Dig and it’s run by the Australian Opal Centre and Australian Geographic.
There I will get to dig up fossils of dinosaurs.
To do this I will need to be ableMe in my camper van
to drive in a vehicle I can sleep in that can carry all of my medical equipment, and that has power in it so my medical equipment can keep me alive on the trip across the Nullabor. Also enough room for my carers who will look after me, and my Mum who will have to drive!
So I am asking if people can assist me to achieve my dream dinosaur dig. I need to be able to pay for the van to have power in it, registration fees for my carers, and some travel expenses. Mum and I are just on pensions, but if I can't go on this trip, I will never get another chance to dig up dinosaurs.
I need to start getting work done on the van soon, so any funds as soon as possible would be amazing, but I won't need everything until August 2016 when I go on my trip!
I will be so grateful to anyone who can help me achieve this dream. I hope to be able to Tweet or Blog as I go (depending on internet availability on the site) so people can see what an awesome adventure their donations have paid for.
Thank you!
But there is one paleontological dig that I can attend. It is in Lightning Ridge, NSW, and will be run during August next year. It’s called the Lightning Ridge Fossil Dig and it’s run by the Australian Opal Centre and Australian Geographic.
There I will get to dig up fossils of dinosaurs.
To do this I will need to be ableMe in my camper van
to drive in a vehicle I can sleep in that can carry all of my medical equipment, and that has power in it so my medical equipment can keep me alive on the trip across the Nullabor. Also enough room for my carers who will look after me, and my Mum who will have to drive!
So I am asking if people can assist me to achieve my dream dinosaur dig. I need to be able to pay for the van to have power in it, registration fees for my carers, and some travel expenses. Mum and I are just on pensions, but if I can't go on this trip, I will never get another chance to dig up dinosaurs.
I need to start getting work done on the van soon, so any funds as soon as possible would be amazing, but I won't need everything until August 2016 when I go on my trip!
I will be so grateful to anyone who can help me achieve this dream. I hope to be able to Tweet or Blog as I go (depending on internet availability on the site) so people can see what an awesome adventure their donations have paid for.
Thank you!
Organizer
Kirsten Beidatsch
Organizer
South Stirling, WA