Dear all,
My name is Chaim Leiby and I am a regular 20 year old boy who loves to learn, go out for lunch with friends, go on mid-winter trips, and go to summer camp too. But guess what? I am not all that regular due to a severely debilitating muscle condition that plagues me every day, every hour, and every minute of my life. This condition confines me to a wheelchair and I have very limited use of my hands. Thankfully, I do have some use in my hands which helps me to turn the pages of my Siddur or Gemara, use my phone, and maneuver my power chair.
I also have a long list of complicating medical equipment that helps me breathe each minute of my life.
My existence on this world is a medical miracle but the doctors at CHOP (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia) say that what I do with my existence on this world is an even bigger and greater miracle!
I go to yeshiva each day, I go on many shabbatons, I go out for slurpees with friends, I’ve been to florida numerous times on all the most fun rides and and I even go skiing every winter withy my friends in my wheelchair!
I have made every dream that I ever wanted a reality thanks to many of my friends, supporters, nurses, and doctors. But this one dream I still have is one my doctors don’t know if it will ever happen, although one doctor did tell me “Chaim, YOU can make anything happen.” And this time I would like to fulfill my dream of going to the holy land of Israel.
I want to visit gedolim in Israel, wheel my chair down to touch the stones of the kosel and then through the Mearas Hamachpeilah and on the cobblestone streets of the old city. I would like to join a tisch of one of the big rebbes on Friday night and perhaps go visiting the Yam Hamelach, Masada, and Ein Gedi.
I am now trying to raise money to fund my trip and allow all the necessary medical equipment and medical personnel to come along with me. As you can imagine, it’s a lot of specialized equipment that needs to be brought on the plane, medical personnel need to be present to care for my needs at all times and I also need to pay for my ticket and for a friend of two for moral support and as you would all like to have friends for – just to have a good time with.
Thank you in advance for helping to make this dream come true.
YOU CAN HELP BY CLICKING HERE.
{Matzav.com}
