When the nursing care insurance fund won't pay: €55,000 crowdfunding for barrier-free conversion
€55,000 in 5 days: How Manuela financed an outdoor lift through crowdfunding – and made it possible for Nico to grow up at home with his sisters.
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Redaktion
GoodCrowd.org
Reading time: 4 min
Updated: 13.08.2025
Manuela's four-year-old son Nico has a severe developmental disorder and muscle weakness due to a genetic mutation. He cannot hold his head up on his own and has no core stability. This means that he cannot sit or crawl independently.
Nursing Home without an External Lift
At the beginning of the year, the family faced a major challenge: ‘Nico was growing every week. Every day, I was afraid that I would accidentally slip on the stairs and fall with him in my arms. It was clear that we would not be able to carry Nico up to the nursing ward for much longer. Without an external lift, he would have to go to a nursing home.’
But an external lift costs €60,000. It quickly became clear that the care insurance fund would only pay just over €4,000. ‘A drop in the ocean,’ says Manuela. ‘Families are being let down.’
When Care Insurance Funds and Foundations Are Not Enough
It was said that foundations could help. ‘I spent five or six weeks just researching,’ she says. She had to write long applications and submit lots of documents. Then came the response: they couldn't cover the full amount. ‘They wouldn't allow any loans or donations in addition to their contribution to the costs,’ says Manuela. So they offered no solution. Meanwhile, Nico was growing – and time was running out.
The Courage to Crowdfund
The only chance: crowdfunding. But Manuela wondered what her neighbours would think. She didn't want to bother anyone with her worries or appear to be begging.
The physical strain, the daily uncertainty of carrying him, the idea that her son would have to grow up without his two older sisters – all of this motivated her to start the crowdfunding campaign anyway.
5 Days that Changed Everything
The first messages came in immediately: “I've donated”, “I've shared it”. ‘When I looked at my WhatsApp status, all I could see was our campaign. Everyone I knew had shared our appeal, and some had added comments like “We know the family, please donate, please share”. I was so overwhelmed. I never expected such solidarity.’
When only 6,000 euros were left to go, friends encouraged each other in WhatsApp groups: “Mobilise again, share again, we have to do this!” 'I get goosebumps when I think about it,“ says Manuela. 'It was overwhelming, really. It created momentum and a great sense of togetherness.”
More than Just Money: a Community Is Born
Within five days, the entire amount had been raised. ‘I walked around my house like a zombie for a week and couldn't sleep at night,’ she recalls. But it was more than just money: people offered help and wrote encouraging messages. A woman she didn't know gave them another lifting aid from her late father's care package. ‘All of this meant so much to me. The reactions pushed me forward and confirmed that I had taken the right step.’
At some point, a woman who also wanted to start a fundraising campaign wrote to Manuela. She wanted to know how she had done it and what concerns she had had. "And then I spoke to her on the phone, we exchanged ideas and are still in close contact. She has now made her campaign public, because she hadn't dared to do so before. I encouraged her and said, “What have you got to lose? It really inspired me to be able to help another woman like that.”"
The crowdfunding has taken a huge burden off the family. It enabled them to start the project in a short space of time. ‘We have already submitted the architectural plans to the district office and are now waiting for approval. Then we can order the lift.’ Her daughters will soon be able to take Nico back into their bedroom. They want to play with him and have him with them – so he can really participate.
The relationship with the neighbourhood has changed; there is more openness and less shyness. Everyone knows them and Nico now, and they know their story. So when I walk around here now, everyone knows what's going on. And I also feel that people are more likely to talk to me. They've lost some of their shyness.
Barrier-free Is more than Just a Ramp
Manuela wants her son and her to remain part of society. That's why it's important to her to raise awareness of the many barriers that people with disabilities and their families have to overcome: "Just because there's a ramp somewhere doesn't mean it's accessible. Doors are a big problem. How is someone in a wheelchair supposed to open them?
For example, there's a large fashion outlet near us with a lift from the underground car park to the top floor. That's great for people with disabilities, but then you get out of the lift and you're standing in front of a door. I'm there as a mother and I can open it with some difficulty, but if someone in a wheelchair is out on their own, they're standing in front of a door and can't get through. I always wonder who does this kind of planning!"
For example, there's a large fashion outlet near us with a lift from the underground car park to the top floor. That's great for people with disabilities, but then you get out of the lift and you're standing in front of a door. I'm there as a mother and I can open it with some difficulty, but if someone in a wheelchair is out on their own, they're standing in front of a door and can't get through. I always wonder who does this kind of planning!"
You Are Not Alone: Manuela's Appeal to Other Families
Manuela emphasises that her story is not unique: ‘It's the story of so many families who give everything – and far too often have to fight against windmills.’
She has learned that asking for help is not a sign of weakness – on the contrary: it is ‘a step that brings people together,’ she says. Crowdfunding has shown her one thing above all else: ‘We are not alone.’ That is why she wants to encourage everyone in a similar situation: ‘Have the courage to start a fundraising campaign. You can't lose, you can only win.’
What made the crowdfunding campaign successful?
- The first step: Manuela's courage to share her story
- Social proof: Friends and family not only helped spread the word, but also built trust beyond the immediate family network: ‘We know the family’ instead of anonymous shares
- WhatsApp: Spread and amplification via groups. Status as the first touchpoint – personal, but visible
- Urgency: Real time pressure and clear consequences if the goal is not achieved create momentum.
- Renewed mobilisation for the final sprint: Friends cheered each other on in WhatsApp groups: ‘We have to do this!’
- Community and ownership: The donors saw themselves as a group and the donation goal as their common goal
You can find Manuelas Crowdfunding campaign here.
