Looking for Adventure?
Photo courtesy of 9Lives Adventures
When one hears about a friend or acquaintance going skydiving, bungee jumping, racing, white water rafting, etc., the news is usually followed by one of two reactions: “That sounds amazing. I would LOVE to do something like that” or “Wow that is terrifying. I could NEVER do something like that.” So which person are you?
For people with disabilities, hearing about someone partake in one of the adventures above, might invoke a different reaction: “I didn’t know I COULD do that.”
There are so many wonderful stories about adrenaline adventures involving people with disabilities. You may remember the young woman who went bungee jumping in her wheelchair in British Columbia last year. According to CBS News, Christi Rougoor loved racing her dirt bike and after a motocross accident left her in a wheelchair, she was searching “for that rush to replace what I have lost.” While the reasoning may not be the same for all, most people who choose these types of adventures, are indeed looking for a rush.
Recently Kyle Maynard made the news. Kyle is a 25-year-old congenital amputee with a mission to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Kyle was born without arms or legs, but for him that was never a barrier. The expedition aims to “demonstrate to young people with disabilities that no obstacle is too great to be conquered with an active, no-barriers lifestyle and mindset,” says the Mission Kilimanjaro website. Despite all of his accomplishments and adventures, climbing to the 19,341 ft. summit of Mt.Kilimanjaro will be Kyle’s toughest test yet.
And then there is motocross racer Ashley Fiolek, who has brought a lot of attention to the sport as a deaf athlete. Ashley explains that being deaf can be both positive and negative in this sport. Because she cannot hear when racers are on her tail, she does not feel the same pressure as other racers. However, she has to be very careful to hold her lines when racing since she cannot hear other riders passing.
Pretty cool individuals. Maybe you’re reading this article and saying “okay, I’m ready, sign me up.” If so, let us introduce you to the company that has made many adrenaline adventures possible: Canadian-based 9Lives Adventures. The founders, Karim Ladki and Matt Thola, both suffered from C7 spinal cord injuries and bonded over their love of adventure and their thrill-seeking spirits. The result? A company that specializes in tandem skydiving, bungee jumping, wheelchair skateboarding, jet boating, and sit skiing.
So if you’ve got the adrenaline bug, get to it! Jump out of a plane, climb a mountain, go jet boating. Nothing is stopping you.
Other organizations that promise to thrill:
Disabled Travelers: Adventure Travel Information
Epic Enabled: Accessible African Safaris
One Couple’s Journey to Accessible Living
David Strawn Art Gallery (left), Loren (right)
Photos provided by Personal Mobility
At Savaria, we like to hear about our end users and how our products are making a difference in their day-to-day lives. But when we heard about Loren and Joy from Illinois, we couldn’t resist turning their story into a full blown article. This couple purchased not 1, not 2, but 3 Savaria mobility products.
Loren and Joy lived in a farmhouse in Jacksonville, Loren’s childhood home since the age of 6. Loren was an amputee and used a wheelchair. Sadly, he passed away recently at age 69. He lived in the farmhouse until he died.
Throughout his life, Loren owned lowered floor minivans, adapted full-size vans, and curved stairlifts. In 2005, the couple met with Savaria dealer, Personal Mobility, to purchase a residential lift. The first purchase was complete. A V-1504 Vertical Platform Lift was installed in their farm house. Chosen because of its durability and ease-of-use, the lift was a perfect fit for this couple. Loren was a woodworker, farmer, and overall a handy man, so he fashioned himself a rope handle for the platform gate that made it even easier still for him to enter the lift.
Loren and Joy’s farmhouse was originally part of the Jacob Strawn home place. This property was one of two built by the same couple. The other was donated to the Art Association of Jacksonville in 1915 and was converted to become the David Strawn Art Gallery. With ties to the gallery, Loren spearheaded the purchase of the second V-1504 for the building. The lift was customized with a bronze plexi glass enclosure and provides access to the main floor, elevated 9 feet off the ground.
The third product was purchased by Joy after Loren’s passing. Joy moved to a new home and though she is able-bodied, she recognizes the convenience of a home elevator and is planning for the future with her decision to install a Telecab.
All of these installations were performed by Savaria dealer, Personal Mobility. Owners Gerry and LuAnn Davis got their start in the industry when their daughter endured brain damage from an asthma attack that turned into cardiac arrest. When researching alternatives for an accessible van, the couple decided to open a mobility company to provide access for families such as themselves. Eleven years later, this family run business, in partnership with United Access, is considered to be one of the top mobility centers in Illinois.
We loved hearing Loren and Joy’s story and felt lucky to be a part of it. This wonderful couple faced physical barriers at times but they were quick to find solutions and adapt. They helped a beautiful art gallery become accessible and many will appreciate that in future years.
What do you PUSH for?
Mia: I PUSH beyond my comfort zone to explore new adventures!
Angela: I PUSH for a more peaceful and happy world!
Chelsie: I PUSH to inspire others to live to their fullest potential!
Tiphany: I PUSH because stereotypes don’t define me!
Auti: I PUSH to command attention!
Who are these women? Sundance Channel calls them the Push Girls. Season One has come to a close but a second season is in the works and if you haven’t heard of them yet, it’s time to learn about these phenomenal women.
Push Girls is a 14-part reality television show that follows the lives of four women in Los Angeles. The common denominator is their wheelchairs, but the show is not about wheelchairs. “It’s about lives and how we live life to the fullest. We are four women living in this world trying to have a normal life,” says Angela, one of the Push Girls. We see both how the women perceive themselves and how others see them and their wheels.
Auti and Angela became friends first when working in the entertainment industry. Six years later, Mia took part in one of Angela’s acting classes. And four years after that, they met Tiphany, who now lives with Angela. Angela is the only quadriplegic of the group; the other three women are paralyzed in the lower body. And from this group of women, Push Girls was born. “We realized we had a kindred spirit of reaching out, inspiring, encouraging and motivating people. And we all have different walks of life, so much to share,” says Auti. A fifth Push Girl was added after the pilot: Chelsie Hill, a young performer who dances with Auti and Mia in a group called Colours ‘n’ Motion.
The show has had a huge effect on people in wheelchairs, as well as able-bodied viewers. “Other shows dealing with disability often either downplay or sensationalize what it means to use a wheelchair, but Push Girls is much more holistic” (New Mobility Magazine, June 2012). It’s a show that means something different to each person. For some, it’s about informing people about paralysis and spinal cord injury. For others, it’s about five independent women and their friendship. Maybe it is the truth about life in a wheelchair. No matter what you take from it, it’s a wonderful accomplishment. Its existence itself is exciting! This could be the start of much more inclusion in television.
And audiences are responding! Push Girls hit social media hard with their Facebook page, featuring Q&As with the 4 stars of the show, inspirational stories of other women or wheelchair users, the Push Girl hall of fame, and more. Fans have responded to the show in a huge way – social media blew up every Monday night and now the series has been renewed for a second season. People in wheelchairs are seeing themselves not only represented on television but celebrated, and these strong women are to thank. Creator Gay Rosenthal says “It’s real, it’s outspoken and it’s from the heart” and that’s why we love it! Congrats on your upcoming second season ladies!
Hitting the Road with the Freys
Amy Frey in her new wheelchair accessible minivan
Planning a vacation or shopping for a flat screen TV can be taxing. The process can take a day, a weekend, a week; involve hours of research, countless conversations with friends, family, and sales persons; and conclude with the difficult final decision. Now what if you were buying a wheelchair accessible minivan? For some, this can take years!
Meet Malcolm and Lyne Frey. They began the hunt for an accessible van for their daughter, Amy, over two years ago. The Frey family is young and active and was in need of a vehicle that was comfortable, safe and reliable. We recently spoke with Lyne to learn more about their search for the perfect van.
The Freys originally went to an accessible vehicle dealership for a quote, but were discouraged by the prices. At that time, they were not aware of the different types of conversions, ramps, and add-ons, making it difficult to determine what their family needed. But once Amy got bigger, it became difficult for the Frey family to travel.
The Freys are a family of five; Malcolm and Lyne have 3 daughters, ages 11, 8, and 9 months. Amy, age 8, is a beautiful and happy girl. Malcolm and Lyne learned that Amy had microcephaly, cerebelar hypoplasia, and global development delays when she was just 8 months old. She functions at a 3-12 month-old level and began using a wheelchair shortly after her 4th birthday. Amy is now starting to walk and explore but is still dependent on her wheelchair for mobility and travel.
The Frey family’s day to day life is very busy. With 3 children, they are constantly on the go and morning and nightly rituals can take hours. Lyne says that things have changed drastically with a wheelchair user in the family. Stairs and curbs are viewed in a new way. Everything takes longer and the family takes up space wherever they go. Lyne does note, however, that she gets the good parking spaces!
The Freys revived their search this spring and bought a rear entry, short floor from Savaria. Having the accessible van has made a huge difference in the Frey’s daily living. Before the van, it was quite a process to get Amy in and out of the family vehicle. Now all they need to do is wheel Amy into the van and buckle up. Lynn and Malcolm actually argue over who gets to do it! With traveling so much easier now, the family plans on taking a trip to Niagara Falls this summer in their new van.
“Buying with Savaria was easy,” Lynn says. The family lives about an hour away from our Brampton offices so their sales representative, Ryan, drove the van down to Amy’s school so that the family could take Amy for a test drive.
When asked what advice she would give to other families searching for an accessible van, Lynn replied “get educated.” Learn about the types of vans, conversions, and ramps and think about which is the best choice for your family.