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Got Wheels?

“Wheelchair bound.” “Confined to a wheelchair.” Referencing wheelchair users like this is not only outdated and offensive, it also reflects a lack of understanding. “People are not ‘confined’ to their wheelchairs,” say the folks at the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, “they are in fact liberated by their wheels. … A wheelchair offers people access to work and shopping or any other travel outside the home.” Sadly, an estimated 100 million people in developing nations across the world who need wheelchairs, are too poor to afford them. But thanks to Dr. Don Schoendorfer and the Free Wheelchair Mission, the humanitarian, faith-based nonprofit he founded, they now have hope.

Schoendorfer’s journey began many years ago on a visit to Morocco. There, he saw a woman who was unable to walk but had no wheelchair, drag herself across a busy intersection. He was deeply impacted by what he saw, and eventually Schoendorfer, a biomedical engineer and inventor, left his successful career to pursue a higher calling: He wanted to help people like the woman in Morocco by designing a wheelchair that was “basic, inexpensive and durable,” enough to withstand the rugged topography of many developing countries.

In 1999, Schoendorfer designed his very first wheelchair. Per Disabled World, it was “essentially a plastic lawn chair with mountain bike tires…” Since then, “the wheelchairs have evolved to include two additional designs, including a foldable wheelchair. All three designs are available to recipients, and depending on the needs of an individual, the most appropriate is given for free.”

This past June, the Free Wheelchair Mission celebrated the delivery of its one millionth wheelchair. The chair went to a 12-year-old Peruvian girl who lived in a far-flung Andes village.  Prior to receiving the wheelchair, the young girl had to be carried from one place to another. However, she would soon be too big to be carried. As she grew bigger, her prospects for the future grew increasingly bleak. Fortunately, receipt of a wheelchair drastically changed the trajectory of the girl’s life.  “Footage of a recent trip to present her with the millionth wheelchair showed her crying, laughing, and applauding her gift,” according to a press release issued by the Free Wheelchair Mission. “Her future is now bright, as she can return to school and play with her brothers.”

To date, the organization has provided wheelchairs to people in 93 countries. Each wheelchair is produced and delivered for a total cost of $80. Up next, Schoendorfer aims to deliver another million wheelchairs by 2025.

To learn more, visit freewheelchairmission.org.

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Happy Independence Day!

Boy with American Flag

At Enabling Devices, we’re all about helping adults and children live and play more independently. To that end, we offer over 800 products that make it possible for people with a range of physical and cognitive disabilities to enjoy the sense of accomplishment that comes with doing more for themselves.

Capability Switches
Enabling Devices offers more than 100 different types of capability switches —the widest variety in the marketplace. From our best-selling, ergonomically designed, super-sensitive Plate Switch to our most versatile of switches—the Ultimate Switch—to our high-quality dependable Gumball Switches, capability switches allow people with disabilities to interact with communication devices, therapeutic learning products, computers, appliances and toys!

Communicators
The ability to express one’s thoughts and feelings and to converse with others is essential to independence. Our enormous selection of communication devices helps people with disabilities to communicate and serve as terrific teaching tools. From basic communicators such as the Big Talk which records and plays back one message to our Talkable II which records two messages and has built-in icon holders, to communicators that grow with the user’s vocabulary such as the 7-Level Communication Builder, there’s a communicator that‘s just right for you, your family member or student.

Adapted Electronics
Being able to access electronics without assistance from others is a critical aspect of independence in today’s automated world. Enabling Devices’ hands-free mouse, wireless switches and adjustable screen styluses, as well as a variety of CD players and boom-boxes, are just some of the tools that promote self-reliance and connection to the world.

iPad Products
iPads have entirely changed the landscape for all of us. For people with disabilities, their impact has been profound. Now, disabilities need not prevent people from accessing music, education, entertainment and an ever-growing choice of apps. See Enabling Devices’ Ideas & Resources page for a comprehensive list of our favorite applications.

Useful Household and Special Devices
These essential tools help people with disabilities to practice activities of daily living such as cooking, gardening, cutting, writing and can opening.

Visually impaired
Our large assortment of products especially for people who are blind or visually impaired enable them to increase their independence. Lightboxes, tactile communicators, toys and switches with bright lights, high contrast and auditory cueing are just some of the items we’ve created and adapted with the goal of enhancing quality of life for people with visual impairment.

Toys
Last, but certainly not least, Enabling Devices’ huge selection of adapted toys, mean that children with disabilities can play and learn just like their typically developing peers. Choose from games, plush toys, blocks, puzzles, activity centers, musical instruments and a wide range of multi-sensory toys that promote auditory, visual and tactile stimulation, increase listening skills, encourage music appreciation, and improve fine and gross motor functioning.

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“Me Before You” – What’s Your Opinion?

Opinion graphic

The release of “Me Before You” has been met with a firestorm of criticism from the disabilities community. Based on on the bestselling novel by Jojo Moyes, the film tells the story of Will Traynor, a wealthy, handsome businessman paralyzed after a motorbike accident and Louisa Clark, a pretty yet provincial young woman, hired as his caregiver. Will, played by Sam Clafin of “The Hunger Games” fame and Louisa, played by Emilia Clarke of “Game of Thrones,” eventually fall in love. Unfortunately, that’s not where the story ends.

Why are people with disabilities and their allies up in arms? There are several reasons:

1. The role of Will Traynor is played by an actor without a physical disability

Given the paucity of roles for actors with disabilities, many in the disabilities community are incensed by the fact that someone with quadriplegia was not cast in the high profile role.

“The casting of non-disabled actors in disabled roles is pervasive across the industry, despite the fact that there are numerous talented disabled actors languishing without work,” writes S.E. Smith for Care2. “Seeing non-disabled people represent the disability experience is offensive, especially when the experience being depicted is itself so offensive.”

2. The film’s depiction of life with disability is extremely negative

Since so few films and television programs have characters with disabilities, viewers who don’t have disabilities or who don’t know people with disabilities only learn about their experiences from examples in films such as “Me Before You.” The result? People view the lives of people with disabilities as being tragic, miserable and pitiful.

“Me Before You” capitalizes on existing widely held negative ideas about disability and exploits them as fodder for entertainment,” writes Emily Ladau, in a piece for Salon. “Prior to becoming disabled, Will was successful and happy, but Moyes implies that anything good in life will come to an end when disability becomes a reality.”

3. The film feels emotionally manipulative

Some disabilities advocates have pointed out that the film is “calculated to play upon the emotions of the viewer by evoking disability.” And it seems to work.

“It’s become almost a running joke that if you want to win an Oscar, play a disabled character,” writes Kathleen Hawkins of the BBC. Think: Daniel Day Lewis for his performance in “My Left Foot,” Dustin Hoffman in “Rain Man,” and Eddie Redmayne for “The Theory of Everything.”

4. (Spoiler Alert) The film’s ending implies that having a disability is a fate worse than death.

In the end, despite his love for Louisa and everything else he has to live for, Will Traynor chooses to end his life. His reasons? He doesn’t want to live if he can’t do the things he did before his accident, he doesn’t want to be a burden to Louisa and his family and he doesn’t want her to end up resenting or pitying him in the future.

Members of Not Dead Yet UK, a group that’s part of a global alliance of people with disabilities who oppose euthanasia and assisted suicide picketed the film’s premiere and posted this statement on its website: “ Not Dead Yet UK is deeply concerned to see yet another film which casts non-disabled people as disabled people and shows the lives of disabled people as not worth living.”

Have you seen or read “Me Before You?” We’d love to hear what you think. Talk to us here or on Facebook or Twitter.