As a disabled person who is a full-time wheelchair user without the ability to
be able to own a private lightweight wheelchair....... may I suggest that
your student asks for an assessment at a local mobility unit (formally known
as ALAC's).
For many years I had lived and battled on using an 8VL (standard government
issue) - but I recently took delivery of an Action 2000 wheelchair - which by
comparison is a mercedez...... it's much lighter, it folds up well, and the
biasses of the front wheels aren't quite so terrifying! Also, all
maintanance is carried out and paid for; - which if you owned a wheelchair you
would be fully responsible for. Things seem to have changed quite a bit with
government/NHS issue wheelchairs - and I would urge your student to take a
look there before doing anything hasty!!
Incidently, it does seem a shame that private lightweight wheelchairs are
available (primarily) for people who have received compensatory awards for
acquired impairments...... it tends to highlight a "them and us" mentality.
But there again, if one looks at the situation in Romania and Albania for
example - our NHS provided chairs are wonderful....... An organisation called
"Wheels for the world" will happily take any unwanted privately owned
wheelchairs and repair them before despatching them to far more needy
countries. They operate under the auspices of "Through The Roof" - a
Christian organisation based in Cobham, Surrey. Please email me privately for
more details.
Chris Hopkins
Disability Consultant
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