Battery drive funds device for Chloe

Midwest Metals is supporting an effort to raise funds for a costly wheelchair device that will allow a local girl to stand up, and possibly walk on her own one day.
The Fraser family has been fundraising for two years for the assistive device for their nine-year-old daughter Chloe, who was born with a spinal cord injury. The cost of the device was initially thought to be over $40,000 but the total cost has come in a bit higher at $58,000. So, although the family thought they had raised enough funds, there is now a last push to cover the additional cost.
“We’re hoping, with the success of the battery drive, that would be enough to finish it off,” said Chloe’s mom Carol.
She said fundraising started with a Go Fund Me campaign, and events were held. But with the arrival of the pandemic, she came up with the idea of organizing a bottle and battery drive, which really took off.
“The community has just been amazingly supportive and has really helped us out in these last few months,” she said.
Getting fitted for the new chair has been quite a process because the chairs are typically only built for adults, said Carol, but there is a real need for paediatric ones, although some of the components have to be custom made.
The device will allow Chloe, a Grade 4 student at St. Noel Channel Catholic School in Wasaga Beach, to stand for O Canada, help with the dishes, and standing is also important to help with digestion, muscle development, and allow Chloe to live a more independent life.
“It will allow her body to grow with her, as well. It will get rid of the surgeries for muscle lengthening and that sort of thing,” said Carol. “She can walk assisted right now and we’re hoping with the addition of standing whenever she wants she’s actually going to be able to build on those muscles – her core and leg muscles.”
The new chair will be adaptable as Chloe grows. They will likely get five to seven years out of it. It is their hope that they have it before Christmas.
Midwest Metals in Creemore will be a drop-off location for the battery drive until Nov. 14. Bins have been placed outside the business, located at 7685 County Rd. 9, to collect household batteries, car batteries, and boat batteries.
Midwest Metals normally pays for used batteries (three cents per pound for household batteries and 21 cents per pound for car and boat batteries). With donated batteries, Miswest Metals will donate the money normally paid out to the customer, directly to the Frasers.
People can also donate to the cause online at www.gofundme.com/f/providing-a-miracle-for-chloe.