A WATF Borrower Helps Others Regain Independence

By, Erin Lauridsen

Kevin Berg says that one of his hobbies is pushing his limits. When he was born with cerebral palsy, doctors gave his family a grim prognosis, claiming that he would not be intelligent, able to talk, or operate a wheelchair. Kevin’s life has proved them wrong time and time again. At age 32, Kevin has 2 bachelor’s degrees, has published a book, and makes motivational presentations. He enjoys spending time with his wife Melinda, his daughter Gabriella, and nephew Zachary.

Kevin uses a power wheelchair for mobility, which he says he drives, “better than many people drive a car.” Kevin came to WATF for a loan this summer because his 8 year old wheelchair was “on its last wheel.” After a 3 year struggle, Kevin’s insurance agreed to replace the chair, but when Kevin asked for an elevating seat and a headlight, they were deemed “luxury items” and the insurance company would not cover them. Kevin experienced the improvements an elevating seat made during a wheelchair test drive, and knew it was something he needed, so he came to WATF for a loan.

The elevating seat has made a dramatic difference in Kevin’s life. Being able to talk to people face to face has increased his confidence, and people treat him with more dignity and respect. “It is simply amazing!  I can see things I've never seen before.” He can reach items on high shelves, and his wife does not have to bend over to assist him in personal care tasks.

The difficulties they experienced in funding Kevin’s new chair inspired the Bergs to start an organization of their own, the Access Life Foundation. Through the foundation, Kevin and Melinda are working to help other people with disabilities access life by providing equipment such as wheelchairs and modified vehicles. “We want to reach those that can't even afford monthly payments for a loan,” Kevin explained. To raise money for the Access Life Foundation, Kevin set to work defying one more prognosis that doctors had made in his early years. They said that he would never walk. But with the help of family and friends, Kevin walked a mile around a track as a fundraiser for the Access Life Foundation. It took a grueling 11 hours, but when Kevin delivered a wheelchair to the foundation’s first recipient, he knew that the walk was completely worthwhile.

On September 24th, the Access Life foundation donated its first wheelchair to Charles Hernandez of Des Moines, WA. Kevin was deeply moved by Charles’ situation. Like Kevin, Charles is a father, but his ability to interact with his daughter had been greatly limited by his injuries and lack of a power wheelchair that he could operate independently. Now, Charles has a power chair with seat elevator. Kevin’s description of the moments after Charles received his new chair demonstrates the immense benefits of access to assistive technology. “Quite literally, after 30 minutes of being in the chair, dreams and ideas came pouring out of him as he realized all the new possibilities in front of him!”
To learn more about the Access Life Foundation visit www.accesslifefoundation.org.