The following is an email to Achieva Family Trust from Heather Shukar, mother of Hannah Pallas, a Charitable Residual Program support recipient.
"Achieva Family Trust made a significant impact on our daily lives and for that I will be forever grateful. My beautiful daughter Hannah has been living with severe intractable epilepsy her entire life which has caused her to require 24/7 care. There is not a day that goes by that she does not suffer from some kind of abnormal neurological activity which makes her very tired, often lethargic, feeling poor and off balance. Seizures happen often and without warning so safety is top priority.
We moved into our little cottage style home in 2020 to be closer to family. The home was not 100% ideal for our situation, knowing that Hannah's condition is progressively getting worse through the years, but living near family took precedence for Hannahs quality of life goals.
We quickly realized that our bathroom was becoming increasingly difficult to function in. It was tiny and unsafe for Hannah, me, and anyone caring for her. Hannah requires a shower chair for toileting and showering. With only a tub, we had to lift the very heavy shower chair in and out of the tub which was difficult on our backs. And oftentimes, Hannah will have a seizure in the bathroom and the small space made it very difficult to keep her safe.
We found out about and reached out to the Achieva Family Trust. What a phenomenal organization. The process from start to finish was seemless, from the initial inquiry (with loads of my questions answered) to the final product.
It has been a year since our new bathroom was installed and I'm reminded every single day of how grateful I am of this organization. It is truly remarkable how they have changed our lives through their generosity.
It was a rough year for my daughter Hannah, and I'm not sure how we would have handled her bathroom routine without this new bathroom.
Thank you again from the bottom of my heart."
Heather Shuker
