This week the modification on the van was completed and I am on the road.
In September I found a second hand van with most of the modifications that I needed at a cost of $50,000. It was a 2009 VW Transporter, with 47,000 klm. From all places to find the van, it was in Shepparton, where I once lived, not far from my family.
The modification that I needed to make to the van, included moving the docking station to suit my new wheelchair and a backrest to stop me going over in the case of a head-on. These cost where just under $5700.
The NDIS is coming through my area at the moment and I can get $10,000 towards modifications to the van, however its not retrospective. If the NDIS was not available, I would have been able to apply for a state program for the same amount, however the NDIS will encompass a number of disability programs that the governments offer, so I have to wait for my application to go through. When it does I will get the passenger docking station moved to suit my new wheelchair and also upgrade the hand control to something that will suit me a little better.
Some forward planning 18 months ago, I applied for government funding for a new wheelchair to suit the van that I was aiming to get. The government assistance was finally approved in November for the wheelchair and arrived in January. The dust did not settle before it was booked in to get the modification done. The government will kick in $3400. while I will need to kick in $3700.
I would like to thank everyone who has assisted in making the van possible. From the Go Fund Me donation, work BBQ, Cooking classes, KeepCup & Entertainment Book purchases to name a few. Thanks to those who offered support along the way.
Thank you again for your help, this is a real game changer for me.
I will contine to be selling KeepCups on my webpage that I have developed while on this journey. -
http://thebaristahouse.com/
http://thebaristahouse.com/
