Nursing Student Needs New Wheelchair, Community Rallies to Help

A south suburban nursing student who is confined to a wheelchair after suffering a mystery virus has an entire college community rallying behind her.

Katie Vree, a junior nursing student at Trinity who graduated from Chicago Christian High School, found her lifelong dream of becoming a nurse jeopardized after she was paralyzed during her sophomore year of high school. But Vree has not let her injury stop her from pursuing her dream—and her classmates have noticed.

“She has made tremendous progress since then and her positive attitude is a light to all who know her,” classmates said in a release.

The Entrepreneurship Club, Nursing Student Organization, and the Community Empowerment Fund selected Vree as the beneficiary of funds raised through the First Annual Community Dodgeball Tournament, with the final round set for Thursday, Nov. 19. Their hope is to generate enough funds to award her with a standing wheelchair so she can navigate and perform tasks more efficiently in her chosen field of nursing.

“I have always had a deep desire to be a nurse and am so excited to be able to pursue that dream here at Trinity, but I never thought my journey to get here would be so tough—or teach me so much,” Vree wrote of her passion.

In 2011, she was en route to an orphanage in Guatemala for her second year of volunteer work. On the plane’s descent to Miama for a connecting flight, Vree felt pain in her left shoulder, followed by weakness in her entire arm. Three hours later she recalls being paralyzed from the shoulders down and “growing sicker by the hour.” Doctors concluded she had contracted a virus that attacked her spinal cord and left her paralyzed. She was hospitalized for six months.

“Doctors didn’t think I was going to recover, but ever so slowly movement returned, starting with my right thumb,” she tells of her improvements. She has slowly regained more function over the last four years.

“Being a wheelchair user complicated my journey but also brought its own blessings,” Vree wrote of her journey. “I have met some incredible people, and in some ways my wheelchair has taught me to really live. The road isn’t always easy or fun, yet I know God is always present. I can do the studies, but I know I need more mobility than my present wheelchair allows in order to work with patients in a hospital room.”

Her classmates’ efforts to help began on November 6, when the community gathered at the DeVos Gymnasium to witness teams from Illiana Christian High School, Chicago Christian High School, and Trinity Christian College battle for victory on the court—the dodgeball court.

The student-led event was the first round in the tourney, with the final round set for Thursday. Tony Dykstra, president of the Entrepreneurship Club at Trinity, had positive reports regarding the turnout for the first round.

“We raised a lot of donations the first night and we’re going to raise more,” said Dykstra. “People had fun and seeing the costumes was awesome. It’s a great spectator thing. People think it’s all about winning, but it’s really about the best-dressed.”

The committees involved are looking forward to another great turnout for the final round and hope to see a large part of the community attend the final showdown.

The tournament finals will be held at the DeVos Gymnasium on Thursday, November 19 at 7:30 pm. Participants will include the top student and administration/faculty teams from qualifying tournaments at each of the three schools. Spectators are welcome at the admission price of $2 per student, $5 per adult, and $20 per family. Raffle prizes and delicious cupcakes from Doughs Guys Bakery will be available. The school is located at 6601 W. College Dr., in Palos Heights.

Those who are unable to attend the finals are encouraged to donate directly to the fund.