BOONTON — A Boonton family is raising funds for a wheelchair-accessible van for their daughter, Ellie Cooper, who lives with cerebral palsy and three rare genetic disorders.
Ellie was born at 26 weeks and spent her early weeks in the NICU. She is a primary wheelchair user and is also autistic. As she has grown, transferring her into a standard car seat has become increasingly difficult, and her family says a standard vehicle can no longer safely accommodate her, her wheelchair, and the medical equipment she requires.
The family’s need became more urgent after Ellie’s father, Josh, and their three oldest children were involved in a car accident during school drop-off. Everyone involved was uninjured, but the financial strain of maintaining two vehicles alongside Ellie’s medical expenses became unsustainable. The family, which has six members, is now relying on a borrowed vehicle that cannot safely transport everyone along with Ellie’s wheelchair and gear.
The family has partnered with Help Hope Live, a national nonprofit that specializes in medical fundraising, through its Mid-Atlantic Catastrophic Illness Fund. As of August 21, the campaign has raised $48,700 toward its $100,000 goal. Organizers say the funds will go toward purchasing a reliable wheelchair-accessible van, ensuring the family can travel together safely, and bridging costs that insurance and traditional financing do not cover. All donations are tax-deductible and managed directly by Help Hope Live.
Those interested in donating can visit the family’s campaign page at helphopelive.org, or mail a check payable to Help Hope Live, noted in memory of Ellie Cooper, to Help Hope Live, 2 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 100, 100 Matsonford Road, Radnor, PA 19087.
