The True Cost of Independence - Carl's Story

💡 Most people don’t realize what it takes for someone with a spinal cord injury to live with dignity. Meet Carl Edward Carlson. After suffering a spinal cord injury at 19, Carl redefined what independence meant. But as the years passed, the reality of insurance denials, mounting medical costs, and physical limitations made everyday life an uphill battle.

🔹 Without help, he couldn’t:

  • Move freely when his power wheelchair needed repairs, because insurance only covered one chair with no backup.
  • Leave his home when his wheelchair-accessible van broke down, leaving him dependent on expensive medical transportation.
  • Take care of personal hygiene safely, as his home lacked an accessible bathroom, roll-in shower, or widened doorways.
  • Get the catheter and wound care supplies needed to prevent life-threatening infections.
  • Remain out of the hospital when pressure wounds worsened, requiring long, expensive hospitalizations.

Carl fought for his independence every single day. He was an advocate—not just for himself, but for others who deserved access to life-changing medical equipment. This foundation was created in his honor to ensure no one has to fight this battle alone.

📊 The Reality of Costs (What Insurance Doesn’t Cover)

Mobility & Accessibility Needs

✅ Power Wheelchair – $15,000 – $100,000

  • Insurance only covers one—leaving individuals stuck in bed if it breaks.
  • $8,000 funds a backup manual wheelchair, and $16,000 or more if custom seating is required.  

✅ Manual Wheelchair (Backup Device) – $8,000 – $16,000

  • Needed for mobility when the power wheelchair is unusable.
  • $3,000 grant helps toward providing a high-quality manual wheelchair.

✅ Wheelchair-Accessible Van – $50,000+

  • Essential for doctor visits, social outings, and independence.
  • $5,000 helps fund a van grant, $50,000 provides van modifications.

✅ Home Modifications (Ramp, Bedroom, Bathroom) – $8,000 – $50,000

  • Standard homes aren’t built for wheelchair users.
  • $5,000 helps fund a grant toward a roll-in shower for safe hygiene.

✅ Ramp for Home Entry – $1,000 – $15,000

  • Without a ramp, leaving home becomes impossible.
  • $2,500 funds a grant toward a full home ramp installation.

✅ Hoyer Lift (Safe Transfers) – $500 – $1,500 (Hydraulic) | $1,200 – $7,000 (Electric)

  • Needed for safe bed-to-wheelchair transfers.
  • $1,000 helps toward providing a high-quality lift.

✅ Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthoses (Standing Support) – $500 – $2,500

  • Helps with circulation and limited standing mobility.
  • $1,500 helps toward a custom set of orthoses.

✅ Shower Chair (Accessible Hygiene) – $45 – $800

  • Prevents slips and falls in non-accessible bathrooms.
  • $500 provides a durable shower chair.

📊   Medical Supplies & Hospital Costs

✅ Catheter Supplies – $50 – $200/month

  • Needed daily to prevent life-threatening infections.
  • $500 helps provide a patient with  supplies.

✅ Wound Care Supplies – $300 – $1,500/month

  • Essential to prevent pressure ulcers and hospitalizations.
  • $500 provides essential supplies for wound care.

✅ Hospitalization for Wound Care – $10,000 – $50,000

  • Preventable with proper home-based care and equipment.
  • $5,000 supports hospital transition programs.

📌 Your donation doesn’t just buy equipment—it restores freedom, dignity, and quality of life.

💙 Ways You Can Help Today:
✅ $50 goes toward a week’s worth of catheter supplies.
✅ $500 funds a grant toward a durable shower chair.
✅ $5,000 funds a grant toward a wheelchair backup or home modification.
✅ $50,000 fully funds a wheelchair-accessible van conversion. 

Most insurance providers cover only the most essential medical device (e.g., a power wheelchair), leaving patients without a backup, without a way to leave their homes, and without in-home support.

Statistics (Spinal Cord Injury & Neurological Disease Costs):

Spinal Cord Injuries

  • First-year medical costs: $347,000 – $1 million+ (spinalcord.com)
  • Annual expenses: $4,490 – $251,450

Progressive Neurological Diseases

  • ALS: Equipment & medical costs: $50,000+ per year (ALS Association)
  • MS: Lifetime cost: $4 million+ per patient (National MS Society)
  • Parkinson’s Disease: Annual care cost: $25,000+

We will begin accepting applications for assistance grants Fall 2025