Help Brianna Get Her Wheels

Dancing at the prom. Hanging out at the mall with friends. Cheering on the football team. Simply moving from class to class.

Many of the activities typical high school students take for granted are much more difficult, if not impossible, for one local 14-year-old girl who must view the world from a seated position.

Brianna Silveira was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at 6 months old. She has overcome many challenges in her life, not the least of which is simply writing, which doctors warned may be impossible for her. She was writing in cursive by the fourth grade. Now a freshman in high school, Brianna has achieved high honors and continues to thrive as a young woman.

Now a high schooler, Brianna wants to be able to do the typical activities of her peers. The problem is, she can only use her power wheelchair when the bus — with a lift — comes to pick her up for school. Otherwise, with no way to transport her chair, Brianna is confined to a manual wheelchair, leaving her dependent on others to get around.

Like most high schoolers, Brianna wants her independence. To achieve that, her family needs a handicap-accessible van, which typically runs twice the expense of a typical van. While the family is working hard toward that goal, help is needed. 

To make a donation — large or small — visit Brianna's GoFundMe page. You can hear more about her story, interact with the family, and help Brianna gain her independence.