Stair Glide for Joyce

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A fundraising campaign for Annie's Angels Memorial Fund, Inc.

Joyce is a seventy-year-old resident of Portsmouth who has severe stage IV lymphedema, caused by treatments for her lymphoma. Lymphedema is most commonly caused by the removal of or damage to your lymph nodes as a part of cancer treatment. It results from a blockage in your lymphatic system, which is part of your immune system. The blockage prevents lymph fluid from draining well, and the fluid buildup leads to swelling. Joyce has the most severe stage of lymphedema in both legs, which makes ambulation and mobility very difficult. There is no cure for lymphedema.

In addition to lymphedema and lymphoma, Joyce has severe arthritis in her right hip and is not a candidate for a hip replacement because of her lymphedema. Joyce lives in a two-story housing unit, which requires ascending and descending 13 stairs to her bedroom. Joyce has significant difficulty getting up and down stairs. Her quality of life has significantly deteriorated in the last year with the worsening of her lymphedema. She is able to get downstairs, but is always unsure if she will be able to get back up the stairs. Because of her limited mobility, she has been unable to cook and prepare meals as her kitchen is on the first floor. Further, if Joyce can get out to doctor's appointments, she worries the entire time she is out, wondering if she will be able to get back up to her bedroom on the second floor when she returns home.

Joyce has lived in her current unit for 17 years and considers this unit and the community to be her home and would like to remain in this unit. A stair glide would enable Joyce to mobilize with much greater ease and get to the kitchen and living room daily and be able to get out to doctor's appointments with much greater ease. Joyce would be so grateful to be able to get a stair glide. 



Thanks so much for your help.




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