No Arms, No Legs, But One of the Happiest People in the World

What do you do when you have no arms and no legs? Your life may seem overwhelming because you may feel like you are missing out on so many things you are unable to do. Nothing is more untrue according to Nick Vujicic, who was born without arms and legs. It is all about attitude! If you concentrate on what you do have instead of what you don’t have, you are setting yourself up to become a happy person. Be thankful for what you have; don’t be bitter for what you don’t have! Read more

What’s YOUR Excuse?

I need to keep this video queued up to watch every single time I am feeling sorry for myself, or feeling like saying “I can’t” or “no.”

Normally I can’t stand commercials but this one is brilliant. Have a look:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myDYE49KPlQ&feature=related

How Do You Interact with a Disabled Person?

Communicating with a person with a disability can make people uncomfortable as disabled people are often thought of as being “different”. A person with a disability might not be able to walk, or hear, or see, or talk, but other than that a disabled person has a body, a brain, a heart, and a soul like everyone else. A disabled person wants to enjoy life, set goals, and be treated with respect just like a non-disabled person. But, disabled people are not always treated with the sensitivity they deserve. Read more

The Conquest Wheelchair Accessible Motorcycle

How’s this for a crazy concept: a wheelchair accessible motorcycle. Wait, what does that even mean? Well, take a look at the video below and you’ll see that it means being able to roll your wheelchair right up into a specially modified 3-wheeled motorcycle, lock in with a secure locking pin, and then ride using hand controls.

Last week I focused on a disabled pilot flying small airplanes, and this week I’m sharing with you the Conquest Wheelchair Accessible Motorcycle, because the theme of freedom and independence is an important one. We love seeing ways in which people are using their imaginations and technology to increase the ability of people with mobility disabilities to be more independent.

To me, riding a motorcycle screams Independence and Freedom. Anyone who has ridden for years can tell you that the connection to the road and the feeling of being in your surroundings, not closed off from them, is one of the major appeals of riding a motorcycle.

And really, how cool is it to be able to pull your wheelchair right into this motorcycle, lock into it, and then ride? The answer is: really, really cool. So take a look at this short video on the Conquest and if you’d like more information visit them at MobilityConquest.com.

Video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=ertjjZv4Sao&feature=channel

The Dream of Becoming a Pilot Can be Reality

“I didn’t really believe it was possible for people who have disabilities to fly airplanes, so I never really looked into it.”

As someone who has taken flying lessons myself, I understand the thrill of being in control of an airplane and the freedom you feel when you are able to go nearly anywhere. Guatam, as a child, had the dream of being a pilot, but when polio left him disabled and requiring the use of crutches, he didn’t think he could make his dream happen.

I’m happy to report that Guatam went after his dream and found a way to take pilot lessons and is on his way to becoming a licensed pilot. I enjoyed this interview of him and the video of him flying – it just shows that you should never make assumptions of what you can and can’t do.

(Skip ahead to 55 seconds into the video to see the start of the story. For the direct video link go here: http://vimeo.com/1524176)

Freedom in the Air – ITV Interview from Gautam Lewis on Vimeo.

Enjoy the Outdoors Off-roading in a Wheelchair with the Mountain Trike

The great outdoors is usually very inaccessible to wheelchair users, but thanks to the invention of a new manual all terrain wheelchair, the gap between wheelchair accessibility and outdoors fun has become significantly narrower. Two engineers from the University of Bath, UK have been working diligently for four years to design this revolutionary off-road wheelchair – marketed as the Mountain Trike.

The wheelchair is propelled by pushing forward on two levers connected to the front wheels and uses an air-sprung suspension to absorb the shocks encountered on rough terrain. This off-road ingenuity allows you to travel through mud, grass, gravel, uneven terrain and modest amounts of snow and, you are also able to climb hills without rolling backwards. The Mountain Trike is built with safety in mind. For example, it has two small front wheels that prevent its user from tipping over forward when braking abruptly or going down a steep descent.

Tim Morgan and John Wardle, the inventors, plan to launch this exciting all terrain wheelchair at the Rehacare disability exhibition in Dusseldorf Germany later in the year. We wish them good luck with the launch as this new off-road wheelchair is certainly going to benefit a lot of wheelchair users who would love to explore the outdoors more freely.

Witness for yourself how cool this all terrain wheelchair really is by checking out this video that provides an excellent narrated overview of its most exciting features.

Or watch this brief off-road journey where the latest prototype is demonstrated.

How to Improve Disabled Parking

For anyone using a van with a lift, listen to this scenario and tell me if it sounds familiar: you drive into a large parking lot for an event (professional baseball game, concert, etc.) and search out the disabled parking spots so that you have a space to lower you ramp. Only, once you find the disabled spots, they are completely filled by regular (non-ramp) cars – meaning there is no safe space to park your van without worrying about someone parking next to you and blocking your life.

If this has ever happened to you, you know how frustrating it can be. Now, I am not saying at all that the people parked in those disabled spaces don’t have a need to park there and shouldn’t be able to park near to stores. I know how important that close parking is to people with disabilities that put them in pain when they walk, or make walking any sort of distance very difficult.  But many disabled spots have protected lined-off areas next to them specifically so that ramps can be lowered. And ramp-vans need those spots. Imagine coming back to your car in the pouring rain only to find a car parked next to you, blocking you from lowering your ramp. You’d have to wait who knows how long until the owner of that car comes back and moves it before you could get back in your car and leave.

So my idea to improve disabled parking is simple. We create two types of disabled parking spaces. The two types of spaces would be: those with marked off hash lines for ramps or lifts, and spaces without. If you don’t need a lift on your vehicle, you get a placard that allows you to park in the close spaces, but does not allow you to park in the hash mark spaces. And vans and vehicles with lifts wouldn’t park in the spaces without marked off areas next to them for obvious reasons.

Does this make sense to you? Would you support such an idea? Share your thoughts, or what your plan would be.

Disabled Sports USA

I love coming across videos like this because what you see is the power of the human spirit, and the willingness of people to help others improve their outlook and their lives.

“Disabled Sport USA’s mission is to provide national leadership and opportunities for individuals with disabilities to develop independence, confidence, and fitness through participation in community sports, recreation and educational programs.”

Take a look at the video, and if you feel inspired, you may want to take a look at the Disabled Sports USA web site.

Disabled Sports USA from Shannon Falter on Vimeo.

Paragliding in a Wheelchair – an Ultimate Thrill Soon To Become Reality?

Have you ever dreamed of floating through the sky in your wheelchair? Soon this might very well be possible thanks to the United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association. Work has begun on a special chair that allows any wheelchair-bound person to independently take up the sport of paragliding. How cool is that?

This amazing wheelchair underwent its first test last week carrying an able-bodied person and initial tests look very promising. Hang gliding in a wheelchair opens a whole new world for people with mobility disabilities.

Moreover, nothing really prevents a person using a wheelchair from participating competitively alongside an able-bodied person because everyone is equal when “hanging” freely in the sky.

You can check out the entire story at the Deseret News site.

These Disabled Musicians Rock the House

Javier Pena never saw himself working with people with disabilities, let alone leading a 25-member band whose members struggle with Down’s syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism and blindness. He didn’t really understand what he got himself into at first when he accepted a symbolic position to help socialize disabled folks with music.

But what Pena has been able to accomplish with a group of disabled musicians is extraordinary. Now his band, known as the Spirit of Goodwill, is a group of legitimate performers, complete with a blues-belting lead singer, a well-trained choir, a horn section, keyboards, guitar, and drums. They have become sought-after entertainers and their story has just recently been turned into the award winning documentary For Once in My Life.

You can read the entire heart-warming and inspiring story, a contribution by Jenny Inglee, here.

Next Page »