Wheels for the World Romania Outreach, 2016
Olga was exhausted when she arrived at the Wheels for the World (WFTW) wheelchair site in Romania with her son, Bogdan, and husband, George. Throughout his 26 years, Bogdan was constantly sick and in and out of the hospital for surgeries. Olga wept as she described the judgment and isolation she felt from their community for having a child with a disability. Bogdan’s father, George, recently experienced complications after lung surgery that necessitated his left leg be amputated. Unable to afford one wheelchair, let alone two, Olga struggled to care for her family, and her husband and son seldom left their home in over a year. A neighbor who knew of the family’s situation heard about the summer 2016 WFTW Outreach at his church and helped transport Bogdan and George to the site where two wheelchairs were provided for them. As Olga watched the Wheels seating specialists and mechanics fit her husband and son to their new wheelchairs, she felt a weight lifted off her shoulders and shared her renewed hopes for her family. No longer restricted by a lack of mobility, Bogdan and George can now travel to the nearby seaside and mountains, cheer on their favorite soccer team, visit family and participate in community events. They are also excited to start attending church with their neighbor on Sundays. “Thank you for your care in giving us these wheelchairs. Our family will never be the same and we are very thankful to you!”
Olga was exhausted when she arrived at the Wheels for the World (WFTW) wheelchair site in Romania with her son, Bogdan, and husband, George. Throughout his 26 years, Bogdan was constantly sick and in and out of the hospital for surgeries. Olga wept as she described the judgment and isolation she felt from their community for having a child with a disability. Bogdan’s father, George, recently experienced complications after lung surgery that necessitated his left leg be amputated. Unable to afford one wheelchair, let alone two, Olga struggled to care for her family, and her husband and son seldom left their home in over a year. A neighbor who knew of the family’s situation heard about the summer 2016 WFTW Outreach at his church and helped transport Bogdan and George to the site where two wheelchairs were provided for them. As Olga watched the Wheels seating specialists and mechanics fit her husband and son to their new wheelchairs, she felt a weight lifted off her shoulders and shared her renewed hopes for her family. No longer restricted by a lack of mobility, Bogdan and George can now travel to the nearby seaside and mountains, cheer on their favorite soccer team, visit family and participate in community events. They are also excited to start attending church with their neighbor on Sundays. “Thank you for your care in giving us these wheelchairs. Our family will never be the same and we are very thankful to you!”
