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NDAD Client Application
This is the primary application for obtaining assistance from NDAD.
| NDAD Financial Loan Program
The NDAD Financial Loan Program is a program to help North Dakotans with disabilities obtain assistive technology to improve their independence and quality of life.
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On June 25, 1994, Sherry Fieber-Beyer was involved in a single vehicle accident. The pick-up truck she was a passenger in rolled end-over-end when the driver fell asleep. Sherry was 19 years old. Her neck was broken, leaving her paralyzed with limited use of her arms. According to Sherry, she spent the next year lying around, refusing to get into her wheelchair and feeling sorry for herself. Then one morning she woke up and was ready to get her life back in order. She taught herself how to eat, write, type, fix her hair and apply makeup all without the use of adaptive equipment. She then began getting into her wheelchair and taught herself how to cook and do everyday household tasks. The more she accomplished the better she felt about herself. Her next step was to learn how to do things outside of her home. She bought a car, enrolled in physical therapy, learned to transfer in and out of a vehicle and passed her driver’s test for adaptive equipment. “I felt like I could conquer the world,” Sherry said.
With her new-found independence, Sherry found herself getting “bored” and not wanting to rely on social security and public services for the rest of her life. So with enthusiasm and determination, Sherry earned her GED, and was accepted at Minnesota State University Moorhead in the Speech Pathology department. However, after taking an astronomy course she knew she had found her passion. She graduated in 2003 cum laude with a Bachelors of Science degree in Physics and Astronomy, three days after giving birth to her son, Lestat.
While raising her son, Sherry earned a Master of Science Degree in Physics and is in the process of completing her PhD from UND.
While nothing could stop Sherry’s determination to reach her goals and education, the lack of accessible housing was another matter. Sherry and her husband, Dan, purchased a new mobile home. Unfortunately the home was not wheelchair accessible. Sherry was unable to do any of the everyday activities she had worked so hard to accomplish independently. She needed a ramp, the doors needed to be widened to accommodate her wheelchair, and bathroom modifications were required. These necessary modifications were essential to Sherry’s independence but they were unable to afford them and didn’t know where to turn.
Sherry heard about NDAD on the radio and hoped NDAD would be able to help them. She was overwhelmed with the assistance NDAD provided. NDAD helped Sherry with a ramp to her home and widened doors to accommodate her wheelchair. Sherry said she can’t thank NDAD enough. “I am extremely grateful for the generosity of NDAD and the kindness of the staff.” Sherry said “I was treated in a truly professional attitude and not like I was disabled”.
Sherry has lived by the motto to always make the best with what you have.
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