Robin Allen

Single mom Robin Allen turns to a grant program to get her first accessible vehicle.

Robin Allen is a single mother to her son, Kyle. They live in North Carolina and by all accounts lead a fairly normal life. Except Robin and Kyle were constantly in pain.

Kyle was diagnosed with Aicardi-Goutiéres syndrome a few years ago, and aside from affecting many areas of his body’s development, it also makes him totally reliant on his mother for all of his needs. These things are simple in tasks around the home. Kyle can remain in his wheelchair for these, which keeps him comfortable during the day. But so often Robin and Kyle were prisoners in their home because lifting Kyle out of his wheelchair, putting him in a car seat, breaking down the wheelchair to put it in the trunk of their SUV, and repeating the process when they reached their destination caused constant pain, not just for Robin, but also for Kyle.

Robin knew a wheelchair accessible vehicle was the solution, but the price tag associated with it was large. She had a large part of the funding saved, but in order to make the final purchase, she needed a little financial boost. Robin and Kyle approached NOVA (formerly The Ralph Braun Foundation) to secure a grant, which allowed them to get a BraunAbility van that would completely change their lives.

Now, Robin and Kyle live virtually pain-free. Because Kyle can travel from the safety of his wheelchair, he’s able to travel with the support he needs and Robin’s back is saved from lifting her growing son multiple times a day.