Joy Follows Where Wheels Go

Seventeen-year-old Jane rolls across the dusty field by her family’s hut, a broad smile lighting up her face. Until recently, moving from one place to another meant being carried by her loving sisters, Rosy and Dorcus. Born with spina bifida, Jane spent much of her life confined to her bed. 

Now, with her first wheelchair, which she received from Free Wheelchair Mission and our local distribution partner, Hope Mobility, at no cost to her, the world opened up and became more accessible. 'Now, I can go to the market and make friends,' she said, her voice brimming with excitement.

That same joy was echoed thousands of miles away on September 4, 2025, at Orange County’s Miracle of Mobility, a fundraising gala for Free Wheelchair Mission. 

Emmy Award nominee and New York Times bestselling author Candace Cameron Bure returned as host, guiding the evening with warmth, humour, and personal stories about giving away wheelchairs on a recent trip with Free Wheelchair Mission.  

A highlight of the evening was a live auction to provide new wheelchairs to people who need them most. One auction item stood out: a Kenya Safari Experience that included a one-day wheelchair distribution with Hope Mobility and a three-night, all-inclusive stay at Angama Amboseli, generously donated by the team from Angama. 

While the gift promised an unforgettable adventure, the real impact was in what it sparked: the opportunity for the auction winner to travel to Kenya, distribute wheelchairs, and witness the transformation that mobility brings to individuals like Jane. 

Moments like these remind us why partnerships matter. The shared values of joy, ubuntu, and respect aren’t just words; they guide every decision and amplify the power of giving.

The Kenya Safari Experience contributed to the overall Miracle of Mobility goal, providing 24,000 new wheelchairs to people living with disabilities around the world.  

Each wheelchair brings more than mobility. It brings renewed dignity, independence, freedom, and joy. For Jane, her wheelchair means rolling to the market, helping with beadwork at home, and imagining a future that includes vocational school. For countless others, wheelchairs unlock opportunities that were previously out of reach, like attending school or going to work. 

You can see the difference in children laughing as they move freely, in parents breathing easier as their loved ones become more independent, and in people regaining the ability to work, provide for themselves, and participate fully in daily life. 

Every wheel set in motion tells a story. And in every story, joy follows where wheels go. 

Since 2001, Free Wheelchair Mission has provided more than 1.5 million cost-efficient, durable wheelchairs across 95 countries. Founded by Don Schoendorfer, PhD, this humanitarian, faith-based nonprofit partners globally to design, manufacture, and distribute wheelchairs, offering renewed dignity, independence, freedom, and joy through the gift of mobility.