Advice needed re transport for terminally ill sister to her sons wedding

bright_side

Had the dreaded news today, my big sis' cancer is terminal :sad:

Her only son is getting married in 7 weeks and we have GOT to get her there. Problem is it's 200 miles away and we need to hire a vehicle that has wheelchair access/clamps. I've had a bit of a look on the net but am struggling to find anything suitable. Ideally it would need to be big enough for 9 adults plus sis in wheelchair and room for luggage too. Failing that ANY size vehicle with the wheelchair facilities would suffice.

I'm panicking and not thinking straight at the mo. Someone suggested contacting the red cross to see if they can help in any way. To be fair the transport is the least of our worries regarding getting there, but I'm trying to be as practical as I can right now. We don't want to pay over the odds, but we've got to do what we've got to do.

If anyone knows of any hire places I could try or any organisations that may be able to help, I'd be very grateful.

Sharifa_2

I'm so sorry to hear this. Is it worth contacting a cancer charity like MacMillans? They must deal with transport issues, so hopefully they'll have some suggestions for you.

pboae

Google turned these up http://www.wheelchair-travel.co.uk/serv01.html

mae

What about contacting Mobility they specialise in adapted cars and your sister may be entitled to some help from them due to her illness.
I hope you get her to the wedding as stress free as possible and I hope you all still manage to have a good day.
Take Care

hardpressed

Does she need to be in a wheelchair for the journey? Not always the most comfortable things to sit in for a long time. You could contact the Red Cross where the wedding is and arrange to hire a wheelchair from them for the day. Could you hire a mini-bus to take you all to the wedding venue? A 200 mile journey could be very tiring for her, would it be better to arrange overnight accomodation for her, if it's at the bride home town could one of her family or friends put her up for the night. In the circumstances I'm sure someone would be glad to help her.

Js_Other_Half

Some of the taxi firms in towns with 'special schools' have largish wheelchair accessible buses to ferry the children to and from school. It could be a matter of phoning some firms and seeing if they have a bus, and how many it could fit?

Sorry to hear about your news.

lil_me

Many areas have specialist taxi firms, unfortunately my partners just switched companies or I would have asked if they could help, he now drives a car which can only take 2 passengers max aswell as one large wheelchair, much smaller wheelchairs can sometimes fit in these cars with 4 additional passengers but leaves with VERY limited room depending on what ramp they have fitted, my partners can't. A 200 mile round trip for him to do in his taxi would be looking IRO £560 but could probably wangle it cheaper with a company, it works out £1.40 a mile, someone who owns their own vehicle may be able to offer to do that cheaper aswell if they are not busy. Just to give you a rough idea of prices. Mini buses can charge higher tarriffs of course because of the amount of passengers. From what I can remember the likes of long wheel base transits converted with wheelchair access or specialist buses can take 8 or 10 I think aswell as a wheelchair but this would leave VERY limited space for luggage.

What I would suggest if you wanted to go down this route is to get in touch with a firm in the area you are travelling to as they may be able to offer the best deal as the driver while you're at the wedding will be able to work/go home rather than having to pay them while they wait. Trying to work out where is 200 miles from Norfolk to see if I know of any in the area who may be able to help. If it is after the school holidays then as a last minute you could contact the special schools in the area and ask who they use. The downside to this is many have a contract with the company so therefore the bus would be needed for that route if it was midweek. Most would be unwilling to miss one contract day as these are worth a lot to them.

There are a couple of companies who offer self hire of similar vehicles as to what my partner drives for work like http://www.wheelchair-travel.co.uk/serv03.html and http://www.wheelchair-travel.co.uk/serv01.html (carrying up to 7, you need someone with PSV licence to drive it if over 8 I think) but then costs would have to be worked out for fuel, driver if you don't have one, usually there is additional costs if high milage is done etc.


Overnight stay might be a good option depending on other committments etc.

I would suggest looking ASAP as 7 weeks is quite short notice for such a long journey.

Hope everything works out ok and she manages to get to the wedding without any problems.

http://www.norfolkcarers.org.uk/supportgroups.htm Norfolk Carers webpage, they may know someone who could help.

bright_side

Thanks everyone. The wedding is in Hereford 22nd Sept. We are all already booked into the hotel where the reception is being held. We are travelling down the day before the wedding and coming home the day after. Initially we were all just going in our separate cars and now that I've stopped panicking so much I realise we just need to hire a car with wheelchair facilities for the three days. We could probably manage without the wheelchair but I think it would make things a lot easier all round if sis can just be wheeled into transport rather than us having to pull her about lifting her in and out. We have no idea how she will be in 7 weeks time, she may well become a bit more mobile and not need the chair, but at the moment I am looking at worst case scenario to be covered.

I'm off to the hospital the afternoon, she's not really taking in any of what's being said to her. I don't know if that's good or bad. She's just sent me a text saying she might be moved to Priscilla Bacon Lodge and she said 'I thought they sent people there to die'. I guess I have to go up there and just act 'normal' whatever that is at the moment.

thanks again

xx

suffolkb

I`m sorry, but am I the only one horrified by this?. I would do everything I could to move the wedding to my mother under these circumstances.

margaretclare

Hi

It's understandable that 'she's not taking in what's being said to her'. This is how the brain copes with appallingly-bad news, which is why it's essential to explain over and over again. Most hospices are incredibly cheerful places. We have 2 near us and one is for children, would you believe - the main one is called 'Fair Havens' (as in Acts of the Apostles, St Paul's journeys) so when it was decided to build the children's hospice it was called 'Little Havens'. Just have a look at that Lodge you mentioned and make up your own mind.

You may only need a normal car, as long as there's leg-room and it's comfortable, because most wheelchairs will collapse and go into the boot. I wouldn't like to think of travelling that distance sat in a wheelchair. Even if you had to hire a bigger car with more leg-room and more comfortable seats, it would be better than a disabled taxi. A lady I know of travelled to her husband's funeral in a disabled taxi, but found it very uncomfortable and nauseous because she was facing backwards - and that was only a couple of miles.

HTH

Margaret

bright_side

suffolkb wrote: »

I`m sorry, but am I the only one horrified by this?. I would do everything I could to move the wedding to my mother under these circumstances.

Completely and utterly agree. Unfortunately we can't make the people involved act in the way that we would in these circumstances - we can only do all we can to get her there. Her son did mention postponing the wedding yesterday, but that's not really an option to be fair. If they leave it as it is we at least have some hope of my sis seeing her boy get married.