Better Quality of Life for Alfonso

Dear friends

My name is Alfonso Orlando Machimbarrena, 26 years ago I suffered from motorcycle accident that caused me a very serious spinal injury and woke up learning was tetraplegic. My body is paralyzed and I can only move my head.

Today I am 51 years old with two beautiful daughters and I work as a DJ in the towns of Navarra and La Rioja.

In 1996, my dear uncle Ignacio helped seek care at the Nottwil hospital in Luzern, Switzerland where I could realize the enormous concern of the Swiss state for the severely disabled.

I returned to Spain, with my electric chair (provided by Swiss Welfare) perfectly adapted to my needs as well as device allowing me to control a computer with my head movements.

Both items have given me a lot of independence, enthusiasm, work and filled my life.

Unfortunately, after 24 years my chair control broke and I can no longer drive it with my hand but still with my head and today price for my taylor made chair is 26.500 €

To make matters worse, the more complicated the adaptation, the more expensive the chair.

The adaptations for a person like me are especially complicated and the tilt, recline and elevation of the seat are a very expensive extra.

These movements, however, are essential, since they allow you to change position, rest and, most importantly, avoid terrible sores and have an acceptable quality of life.

On the other hand, the little independence I can have, is thanks to an electric chair adapted for me, since otherwise I am always subject to the will and availability of others.

It would be a real shame and a great frustration to have to give up something that is so important to my life and my psychological health because it is the only instrument that allows me a little freedom in the immobility situation in which I find myself. it is really important and fundamental.

For this reason, I am trying to raise funds to buy a new chair that allows me to have independence and an optimal quality of life, as before.

In advance I want to thank everyone for their commitment, involvement and solidarity with situations like mine that are absolutely unjust and that compromise the social adaptation of the disabled to their new reality, by public institutions.

Alfonso Orlando

Poncho