They say that driving is a privilege and not a right, but for me, my disability has made it an almost impossible privilege as well. My name is Matildelis Medina, and the majority of my life, all I’ve ever wanted was to be as independent as possible. However, I was born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA type 2) which is a muscle wasting terminal disease that prohibits me from being able to walk and therefore makes my independence rely on the use of a motorized wheelchair for life. This condition limits me with many aspects of my daily life, but it has never limited my mindset to still want to accomplish all those things in life I know I am capable of. I’ve always known my mission in life is to be of help to others. At an early age, I knew the medical field was the right choice for me being that I’ve had so much experience myself within medicine my entire life. This is why I went to college and decided to pursue my bachelors of science in biology and was successful. My next step is to receive my masters in genetic counseling, so that I can be one of the first medical interventionist to assist newly diagnosed families and patients with news that may be of one the hardest to overcome but also show that life is still worth living despite the obstacles we may be presented with at birth.Going back to further my education means that I would need a reliable source of transportation to get to and from my destinations. Unfortunately, being able to afford a vehicle that is accessible for a motorized wheelchair is very unaffordable to the average person. Especially if I were to get one adapted so that I myself can drive. For many years now, I have been relying on public transportation, specifically the use of NJ transits “Access Link” which many people know is not a reliable and precise source of transportation, especially when it is something that requires you to be on time like going to school or going to work. I currently work as a teachers assistant for students with all different types of disabilities at an elementary school in Newark, NJ. However, I am limited to the amount of hours I can work and the amount of pay I can receive due to being at risk of losing my health insurance and benefits that I cannot afford to lose due to my medical necessities. This limits me from any type of extra income that I could make to be able to buy myself and afford a wheelchair accessible van. Being able to obtain a new wheelchair accessible van means a life long freedom that I would not ever be able to achieve otherwise. It would mean that I would be able to help myself in my life and career while also paying it forward and giving back to the community that gives so much to me. I sincerely pray that you find it in your heart to help me get one step closer to my lifelong dream, and that I can finally be able to say that there is one thing I can finally do for myself and that is to provide for myself and my loved ones for the rest of my life.
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