Life with Quantum

Great Fall Activities for Wheelchair Users

The month of September is the start of the fall season. There are so many activities that we as wheelchair users can do, so this blog is about the fall activities that I plan on doing this year.

Apple Picking

Apple picking is one of the most fun things to do. Browse the selection of different apple varieties that orchards have to offer. There is Gala, Granny Smith, McIntosh, Honeycrisp, to name just a few. Pick your favorite to take home or try other ones to discover a new favorite. You can also watch as the apples are made into apple cider and enjoy a cup to keep you warm. Some of the best apples for making cider are Gala, Fuji and Cortland apples.

Corn Mazes

Visiting a corn maze is another fun thing to do. Most corn mazes have paths that are wide and flat enough for a power wheelchair to safely travel through. Different farms offer different themes to add excitement to your experience. Make sure to look again around Halloween, when special events take place to celebrate the holiday.

Go on an Accessible Hayride

This activity is absolutely my favorite. A Hayride is amazing. Take a ride through the grounds to see the beautiful colors that fall has to offer. Tour the farm and see fall fruits and vegetables growing. In October, there are haunted hayrides offered at night for those who love to be scared at Halloween. Make sure you wear old, warm clothing in case it gets dirty during the ride.

Baking

Baking a pie is so much fun. I have never done this, but I would love to do it this year. Fall season is the perfect time to bake using different seasonal flavors. Fresh pumpkins, apples, spices, and cranberries make your favorite pie extra delicious.

Decorate a Pumpkin

Now, this is another one of my favorites. I used to decorate pumpkins back in elementary school. There is much more to do than just carving a pumpkin. Big and small pumpkins are perfect for the whole family to enjoy painting faces, patterns, or other designs. Locally grown pumpkins can be bought during a trip to a local farm or even supermarket.

See Fall Foliage

You can also go on a scenic drive to view the fall foliage. This can be as simple as driving around your neighborhood to see all the changing trees. Or you can research the area and find the best spots with the most color. The trees typically change with the weather, so if you’re planning to see the peak colors, you should do a little research. Taking a scenic drive is a fun activity and a great way to get out of the house. You can also stop for a seasonal beverage or snack and take your time viewing the leaves. This activity is wheelchair-friendly, as you can use your own personal vehicle to explore.

About Zoe Hernandez: Zoe lives in Meriden, Connecticut. A Quantum® brand ambassador, Zoe attends Abilities Expos and speaks with people about her disability. She is currently enrolled in college and hopes to work in a community one day with people who are just like her. Click here to learn more about Zoe.

For more great blogs from our brand ambassadors and Q Roll Models, visit lifeatilevel.com today!

Halloween is Here

No bones about it! Stephanie loves Halloween

It is officially my favorite time of year: Halloween season! Yes, I believe that Halloween is a whole season, not just one day!

I have always been a Halloween enthusiast for as long as I can remember. It’s not just the costumes and trick-or-treating that got me excited as a child, but all the fun activities and foods that come with Halloween season.

I Love Halloween Desserts

First, I have always been a huge fan of desserts and Halloween time is full of great desserts. Yes, I know that everyone loves pumpkin spice, and it is great, but let’s not forget about apples! Apple cinnamon pie, apple crisp and apple cider are all amazing. And, of course, the candy!

I Love Being Scared

Second, I love a good scare! Halloween brings us new horror movies, great thriller TV shows, lots of haunted houses, and even some haunted hayrides! When I was little, the first scary movie I saw was Pet Cemetery. I was probably 4 or 5 when I saw it on TV one day (I have no idea where my mom was!) and I thought it was the coolest movie ever! After that, I begged my dad to let me watch scary movies all the time. I loved when new scary movies would come out just in time for Halloween!

I Love Halloween Decorations

Stephanie pictured in her Stretto with iLevel…and a coffin.

Third, I love Halloween decorations! I decorate every part of my house, inside and out. This is such a big deal to me that I start decorating for Halloween on Labor Day weekend. My husband used to argue with me about my Halloween decorations and would tell me it was too early to put them out in September. I would get really upset about it. I thought we would argue about it for the rest of our lives. Last year, on our wedding day, Ryan surprised me when he read his vows to me. He said, “I promise to help put out all of the Halloween decorations the first week of September.” I was so excited that I interrupted his vows to ask him if he was serious! He was and I felt like the luckiest woman in the world. Now our front yard has a mummy, several skeletons, a few haunted trees, a cemetery, and so much more! We are one of the only houses that decorates for Halloween and my neighbors think I am a bit weird. I love every single moment.

Without a doubt, Halloween is the best time of year. I hope you all have a most spooktacular Halloween this year.

About Stephanie Woodward: Stephanie is a brand ambassador advisor for Quantum Rehab® and works as a disability rights activist. She has received many awards for helping communities become more accessible, as well as for her actions in fighting for the rights of disabled individuals as it relates to Medicaid and other support services. Click here to learn more about Stephanie.

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A Week at EmpowHER Camp

I’ve previously written about how we launched Disability EmpowHer Network last year. Disability EmpowHer Network is an organization dedicated to empowering girls and women with disabilities to live to their fullest potential and have the confidence to lead. Our first big program is EmpowHer Camp. This is a multi-stage skill-building, empowerment, and mentoring program that brings a diverse group of girls with disabilities (ages 13 -17) to camp with successful disabled women mentors in the Adirondacks for one week. They learn about disaster preparedness and basic survival skills, while also developing independent living and leadership skills. Next summer, the girls will reunite in Washington, D.C. to explore how they have grown as leaders. During the year between the first trip and the reunion trip, the girls will create a yearlong local project involving inclusive disaster strategies.

We launched the EmpowHer Camp program thanks to some wonderful grants that we received and thanks to some wonderful corporate sponsors, including Quantum Rehab! In addition to all the wonderful supporters who helped fund EmpowHer Camp, we have nine incredible women with disabilities committed to this yearlong program and committed to mentoring nine amazing girls with disabilities from across the country!

Even with all this support, I was worried that I had not planned enough or that it would not be a fun and fulfilling experience. I was wrong. Let me tell you how wrong I was!

I worried that I had not planned enough.

I had planned for EmpowHer Camp for over a year. The idea of a camp and outline for the activities were planned out before the organization even existed! In fact, I had called John Dillon Park in May of 2020 to ask if we could host a program in August 2021 and got the ball rolling from there! If you can say nothing else about me, you can say that I am a very good planner.

But what I learned was that no matter how hard I try, I can never plan for everything. For example, I picked August for EmpowHer Camp because that is usually one of the most beautiful months for weather in the Adirondacks. during our week, however, we had torrential downpours and flood advisory rain almost every day! I had planned for rain, but I had not planned for that much rain!

Just because I didn’t plan for it, that doesn’t mean everything was terrible. In fact, I learned that all of us, especially our participants, are amazingly resilient and flexible to work around the weather!

I worried EmpowHer Camp wouldn’t be fun for the girls.

The purpose of EmpowHer Camp is to help young women with disabilities learn the skills they need to succeed and to help them gain confidence to lead. Still, I really wanted EmpowHer Camp to be fun. I worried that the participants would be bored and wouldn’t enjoy their time.

I am so glad that I was wrong! It turns out that we can have a good time doing just about anything. Downpouring rain? No problem. We’ll throw on our ponchos and dance in the rain. Hiking trails that are hard to walk on? Don’t worry! Some girls use power chairs and were happy to give a friend a break! No electricity? Wonderful, that means we can sing all our music! No matter what we did, we found ways to make everything fun.

I worried EmpowHer Camp wouldn’t be fulfilling.

When I had planned EmpowHer Camp more than a year in advance, I hoped that everyone would find the experience meaningful and fulfilling. I was really worried that the experience might not be impactful.

Not only was I wrong, I was wrong in many ways on this one! First, each of the participants stated that EmpowHer Camp has helped them in different ways. Most girls expressed that they felt more confident after their week of camping. All the girls grew in different skill areas. Several told me that it was lifechanging.

That was more than enough for me, but it didn’t stop there! Mentors also shared with me how fulfilling and empowering EmpowHer Camp was for them too! They told me that being a mentor with EmpowHer Camp has pushed them further than they knew they could go, both physically and mentally. They also shared that they learned about self-care, how to communicate with people who have different learning styles and to stop apologizing so much!

The best part of all is that this is only just beginning! Our week of camping in the Adirondacks kicked off our yearlong EmpowHer Camp program. Now the girls are each paired with a mentor to work with for an entire year. They’ll work together on their projects, talk about life and have lots of laughs. Then, we’ll reunite in Washington, D.C. in July of 2022 to present projects, talk with Congress, meet with national leaders and graduate from EmpowHer Camp. I cannot wait to see how much we all grow over the next year!

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How to Push a Power Wheelchair

Having a power wheelchair means that you can operate it electronically. Still, there may be times when you need to move the motorized wheelchair to transport it. To protect your power wheelchair and keep it in good condition, there are some good habits to follow to avoid damage to the wheelchair while moving it manually.

Your Quantum® Power Wheelchair is equipped with a manual freewheel lever mounted to each motor. The freewheel levers are easy to spot because they have a bright, yellow tip. Using these levers, you can disengage the drive motors, allowing you to push the wheelchair manually.

Pictured above is a closeup of a freewheel lever on the 4Front 2

Using the wheelchair freewheel levers requires bending down, pushing and pulling. You may need assistance disengaging and reengaging the freewheel levers. Please ask a caregiver or loved one to operate the freewheel levers and push the power chair for you.

Turn Off the Power to Your Power Wheelchair

Before you disengage the drive motors on your power chair, it is important to turn off your electric wheelchair. If you don’t turn the power off, you may get an error message on your controller. If this error code appears, you can clear the error by turning off the controller and placing the electric wheelchair in drive mode. When you turn the controller on again, the error code should be gone. If it isn’t gone after turning on the controller again, there may be an issue. Please contact your authorized Quantum provider for service.

Operating the Freewheel Levers on Your Power Wheelchair

Once you’ve identified the yellow freewheel levers and made sure the power to the electric wheelchair is turned off, push down on both levers to put your chair in freewheel mode. The drive motors are now disengaged. Now, you can manually push or move the wheelchair. When you are done pushing or moving the wheelchair and are ready to reengage the drive motors, simply pull up on both manual freewheel levers. This puts the power wheelchair back in drive mode.

Things to Remember When Using the Freewheel Levers

When disengaging the motors on your wheelchair, avoid doing this on an incline. If you disengage the motors on a surface that is not level, your motorized wheelchair may roll on its own.

When your motorized wheelchair is in freewheel mode, the braking system is disengaged. When disengaging or reengaging your freewheel levers, be sure that the individual stands on one side of the motorized wheelchair and not directly in front or behind it.

Please be gentle with your freewheel levers. Applying excessive force could be harmful to the wheelchair’s freewheel levers, motors and brakes. Feet should not be used to move the freewheel levers into the desired position. Do not stand on top of the freewheel levers.

Do not use the freewheel lever handles as tie-down points to secure your motorized wheelchair during transport. This can also damage the freewheel levers, as well as the chair’s brakes or motors.

For more information on using your electric wheelchair’s freewheel levers and pushing your electric wheelchair, please consult the owner’s manual.

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Excited for Football with My Power Wheelchair

Excitement is in the air surrounding the football program at Charlotte! On August 7, I attended Charlotte Football Media Day to cover the event for the school’s newspaper, the Niner Times. It was a great day! I interviewed players and coaches, which was possible thanks to iLevel® technology on my Stretto Power Wheelchair.

Touring the Facility in My Motorized Wheelchair

When I arrived at the event, I went down an access ramp to get onto the field where the players and coaches were located. My Stretto helped me to get onto the field relatively quickly. Going down the ramp was a breeze. Once on the field, I hung out with my fellow writers until we toured the facility.

Throughout the tour, my power wheelchair made access incredibly easy, so I could see the whole facility, which is state of the art. With iLevel, I elevated my motorized wheelchair 12 inches so I could be heard when I asked the head coach questions. I felt involved in everything and wasn’t left out at all.

Interviewing the Team with iLevel

After the tour, we headed back onto the field to start interviews with players and other coaches. we needed to interview for the newspaper edition. We were positioned under a tent and had multiple players give us good quotes for the articles we needed to write. I had the pleasure

of interviewing the star defensive player Markees Watts, who looks to bounce back from an injury-ridden season a year ago. During my interview with Markees, I elevated to his height and held up my phone to record his responses to the questions I asked. Since I struggle with strength in my arms, this made it so much easier to do, and I didn’t have to strain while holding my phone. iLevel technology on my motorized wheelchair seemed to impress multiple players as well as the coaching staff.

Bryson uses iLevel on his Stretto Power Wheelchair when speaking with players

It was great to be around the 49ers football team because of how genuine the players were. Questions were asked in a round table fashion and I could ask the head coach questions about the team. The day made me super excited to see the team get back on the field in what we hope to be a “normal” season.

Taking Photos in My Stretto Power Wheelchair

I took pictures with the starting quarterback and members of the wide receiver core. Having the ability to elevate with iLevel assisted with this, and I got some outstanding photos to remember the experience. With iLevel technology on my power wheelchair, people don’t have to bend down when I take pictures with them anymore, making me feel like I am their equal.

As the assistant sports editor, it is great to be back in the swing of things with football season right around the corner. I am looking forward to going to games in person once again and being around my friends. It was great to be back on campus, being around the sport that I love. It will be a lot of fun getting to cheer on the hometown team now that I have connections with the 49ers. The football season is right around the corner, and it will be great to see what the team is capable of this year. The 49ers are ready to get back on the field and improve. Let’s go, team!

About Bryson Foster: Bryson is a Friend of Quantum and lives in North Carolina. He advocates and raises funds for the development of treatments for muscular dystrophy. He loves sports and cheers for his favorite basketball team, the North Carolina Tar Heels.

For more great blogs from our brand ambassadors and Q Roll Models, visit lifeatilevel.com today!

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David Arnold: Ready to Receive

If you are an amateur radio operator like David Arnold, you probably have a unique call sign, which is used to identify a radio station or operator. Just like his call sign, David is also incredibly unique. He is extremely grateful for the independence he has gained with his Quantum® Power Chair.

Enjoying Greater Independence with iLevel ®

David was born with cerebral palsy and this affects his ability to walk. To maintain mobility, David uses the Q6 Edge® HD Power Wheelchair with iLevel® technology. He loves how maneuverable the power wheelchair is in small areas.

David in his Q6 Edge HD Power Wheelchair

“I like the power wheelchair’s ability to turn in tight places,” David said. “I also like that the power wheelchair can raise to be at eye level with others.”

With iLevel technology on his Q6 Edge HD Motorized Wheelchair, David can elevate the seat of his wheelchair up to 10 inches. This allows him to communicate with others eye to eye without having to crane his neck to look up at them. David can also complete everyday tasks independently, such as reaching items in his kitchen.

“I use iLevel to get dishes out of our top cabinet,” David said.

iLevel’s patented Extra Stability Technology® enhances safety for activities like reaching things on the shelf, transferring from the chair to a bed, and many more tasks of daily living. Plus, David can elevate his power chair alongside others and drive at walking speed, up to 3.5 mph.

On the Road with His Power Wheelchair

When using a wheelchair-accessible van, David’s Q6 Edge HD Motorized Wheelchair fits easily in the space designated for the front passenger seat.

The Q6 Edge HD is equipped with 4-pole motors and ATX Suspension, so David enjoys a comfortable and smooth ride, wherever he goes.

David lives in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Theresa. He enjoys listening to music and spending time with his friends. One of David’s passions is being an amateur radio operator. There are different types of ham radio operator licenses, including technical, general and amateur extra. He is proud to have achieved a general class license for amateur radio!

No matter what life throws at him, David is ready to receive it with his Quantum Power Chair.

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Ordering Your Power Wheelchair with iLevel

So, you have decided to get a power wheelchair with iLevel. You picked out the color you want and it is time to order your chair. Your therapist works with the ATP at your authorized Quantum provider. Together, they conduct a wheelchair fitting. Whether it’s your first or tenth power chair, when ordering your power chair through insurance, a justification needs to be submitted that demonstrates why you need the motorized wheelchair. Since iLevel is an added feature to the motorized wheelchair, it is vital to submit a justification for iLevel on why it is medically necessary.

Below are tips on what to include in your justification for iLevel on your power wheelchair.

How iLevel Aids in Activities of Daily Living (ADLs):

When requesting durable medical equipment from insurance, the biggest concern is someone’s ADLs inside their home. Activities of daily living include cooking, cleaning, and personal care. It is no secret that iLevel gives wheelchair users greater accessibility to public facilities and community activities. For insurance purposes, the focus needs to be that iLevel gives you greater accessibility inside your home. Here are some questions to consider:

How would a seat elevator support your transfers? (getting in/out of bed or toileting)
What activities in your home could you do more independently with a seat elevator? (cooking, cleaning or personal care)

How iLevel Keeps You Safe in Your Home

Insurers want to know how the equipment is going to keep you safe in your home. Falls and accidents happen, especially when you are disabled. It’s better to pay for a piece equipment before something happens, instead of paying for a hospital bill or an ambulance after an accident. The more accessible a space is, the safer it is. For example, if you cook your own meals, are you grabbing pots and pans from a counter that is taller than you are and can burn you? Questions to consider on how iLevel can keep you safe in your home:

How many accidents or falls have you had in the last six months due to the low height of your power wheelchair?
How would iLevel prevent you from falling?
How do you reach for things that are higher up?
Are your counters of equal height with your seat?
How would iLevel make it safer for your personal care attendants to support you in your ADLs?

These tips are no guarantee that your insurance will approve you for iLevel but being your own advocate is a start. Provide as much concrete information as you can to support your case. The more information you provide, the more difficult it is for them to list a reason for denial. This information also backs you up when filing for an appeal.

Quantum has created a self-advocacy form that you can take with you to your seating evaluation. Click here to download the form.

About Isabella Bullock: Isabella, or Izzie for short, is an employment specialist for the Center of Independent Living. She is an iced coffee enthusiast who enjoys getting lost in a good book. Click here to learn more about Isabella.

For more great blogs from our brand ambassadors and Q Roll Models, visit lifeatilevel.com today!

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Let’s Celebrate Spinal Cord Injury Awareness

September is Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month. Back in 1981, I didn’t truly understand in specific terms what my spinal cord really was. I soon learned.

Understanding the Mental Impact of SCI

As I laid in a hospital bed wondering why I couldn’t feel my legs, I knew that I had been in an accident. The school bus I was on lost its brakes descending from a mountain in Utah. The summer before I got injured, I ran into a friend at a mall and asked how her cousin was. She was surprised I hadn’t heard about Kelly. She told me that Kelly moved back to Pennsylvania. She dove into a lake, broke her neck and now she’s paralyzed. I remember feeling so sad for my friend, because Kelly was such a vivacious, beautiful young woman.

The day my mom gave me the news that I would no longer walk again, that I was paralyzed from my chest down, I had to take a deep breath. I now understood what that meant because it had happened to my friend six months before me. I remember settling into that negative thinking: what am I going to do? I’m never going to dance. I’m never going to run the hurdles. I won’t be able to participate with my team my senior year. So, how am I going to live my life? I think during the period when we learn about paralysis, these are the questions that run through our minds. As we navigate through this thing called life, we find strength, we find new friendships and we find new life through our paralysis.

The Facts of SCI and Moving Forward

In the United States alone, there are approximately 17,810 new spinal cord injuries each year. Men account for about 78% of all new cases. There are probably 294,000 people living with spinal cord injury in the United States. The average age at time of injury is about 43 years old.

Today, individuals who are paralyzed or sustain a spinal cord injury are fortunate to have power wheelchairs and technology. This equipment allow us to dance, compete in the Paralympics (maybe not the hurdles) and perform as athletes. With this technology, we can determine how to live our lives. People who have a spinal cord injury can find the strength to push forward and to enjoy each day.

Life After a Spinal Cord Injury

There are thousands of groups and organizations throughout the country that help people navigate their spinal cord injury and live their lives the way they choose. Because of the ADA, the Americans with Disabilities Act, barriers are broken for people with SCI who use power wheelchairs for their mobility. You can have a job, live in your community and have a family with a spinal cord injury, Advancements in medicine, technology, equipment, employment, laws and housing have allowed people with SCI greater opportunities to choose a better future, post injury.

I am thankful for my friends who have SCI. They mentored me and I mentored them. We are a strong community of many souls. Without them, I would not be the mother I am, the business leader I am or the advocate I am. I so appreciate them. We all are experts of environment and our SCI. We always share with those who need it. I want to honor a young man who took 15 minutes of his time while I was in the hospital to tell me how he lived his life with a SCI. That moment changed my life forever. So, I say to John: thank you for helping me understand that navigating an SCI throughout life is totally obtainable. It just depended on how I was going to navigate it. There is no one formula that helps any one person. They must truly dig deep within themselves and live their lives however they choose.

About Madonna Long: Madonna works as a disability advocate to educate policymakers and congressional leaders on disability issues. She uses an Edge 3 Power Wheelchair for mobility. She is a mother to four children and lives life on her terms, despite a spinal cord injury. Click here to learn more about Madonna.

For more great blogs from our brand ambassadors and Q Roll Models, visit lifeatilevel.com today!

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Things to Do at Wheelchair Accessible Assateague Island

Thanks to COVID-19, vacations have been very limited the past year and a half, especially for my family. Since my immune system is very weak and cannot handle getting sick, flying is still not an option. Still, that didn’t stop us from taking our first official vacation this summer after I was fully vaccinated. We decided to take a road trip to Delaware for a few days and stay at an Airbnb. The main reason we picked Delaware as our vacation spot is because, ever since I was little, I’ve always wanted to visit the Assateague Island National Seashore.

What is the Assateague Island National Seashore?

The Assateague Island National Seashore is an Indian reserve that has over 300 wild ponies running free across 37 miles of inlet beaches, forests and salt marshes. In addition to the horses there are several other wild animals to see. Legend says that during the 17th century, the horses found on Assateague were brought by a Spanish ship. This is why the horses are a different breed than any other horses. Assateague is located near Chincoteague Island, Virginia and Ocean City, Maryland.

Wheelchair Accessible Assateague Island

Upon arrival, we had to cross a very steep bridge. Along the side of the bridge was a wheelchair-accessible path that you could use if you wanted to cross the bridge and see the view of the water. It was such a cool experience to cross an entire bridge in my Edge® 3 Power Wheelchair. Once I crossed the bridge, I immediately saw wild horses on the side of the road. One of the biggest things about Assateague is that they make sure the horses are protected and don’t feel confined.

Wheelchair Accessibility in the Park

After driving through horse filled forests for a few miles, we came to a welcome center. You pay a small fee and enter the state park. From there, you have two options. You can continue driving towards a trail that encompasses the entire reserve. The entire park is wheelchair accessible. There are paved trails throughout the entire park. You can also choose to park your car and rent a locker to put your things in if you want to go to the beach. Because the beach is on an inlet, the sand is really soft and the water is really calm. Those two features combined make it a beautiful beach. Plus, you can rent a beach wheelchair. It felt like a dream come true!

The horses usually run wild on the beach as it gets later in the day. Imagine laying out on the beach enjoying the weather and sand, when you turn and there’s horses everywhere! It felt like I was living in a movie. There is also a campsite for those who would like to spend the night with the horses and the animals walk around the campsite whenever they want.

Why I Love Horses

As you may or may not know, horses are my spirit animal. They are so majestic and beautiful. When I visited Assateague, I felt like I could relate to the horses. They can run wild and free and that reminds me of how I can roam around freely in my Edge® 3 Power Wheelchair with iLevel®. It is a feeling that only another power wheelchair user can understand. Being able to interact with the horses up close as they walked along the beach was an amazing experience that I will always remember.

If you’re ever in the area. I highly recommend visiting Assateague Island National Seashore.

two black and white goats — Photo by Vinícius Vieira on Pexels.com

About Sakina Shamsi: Sakina lives in New Jersey with her parents and brother. Although she has spinal muscular atrophy type II, Sakina lives a full and independent lifestyle. She is active in the disability community and enjoys horseback riding, baking and crafting. Click here to learn more about Sakina.

For more great blogs from our brand ambassadors and Q Roll Models, visit lifeatilevel.com today!

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Chrysanthemum: Sew Much Cosplay, Sew Little Time

She’s breaking barriers, one stitch at a time! Chrysanthemum is a self-taught seamstress and designer with a special focus in cosplay, designing costumes to represent specific characters. She also specializes in kawaii, a Japanese fashion movement. With a TikTok channel of over 380,000 followers, Chrysanthemum brings awareness to her disability and the ableism that exists in the cosplay community, using her voice to enact change.

Chrysanthemum resides in central Maine and has Tourette’s Syndrome/Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). Whether she is recording videos for her TikTok channel or designing a new costume, Chrysanthemum lives a busy life and needs a power wheelchair that can take her where she needs to go. Enter the Stretto Power Chair!

Chrysanthemum loves the narrow width of the Stretto. It was the deciding factor when choosing her power wheelchair, as she has a small house with narrow doorways. The Stretto Power Chair gives her access to many different places.

“I have been able to go places where a manual wheelchair was not ideal for me, like fields, rough terrain, uneven streets,” Chrysanthemum said. “It has really given me a lot of independence. I even went camping this year.”

Along with the Stretto’s ultra-narrow width, Chrysanthemum loves iLevel® technology. Before iLevel, she relied on her fiancé to get things for her that she couldn’t reach. Now, Chrysanthemum can elevate her motorized wheelchair seat up to 12 inches and easily reach the microwave, cabinets and the stovetop. iLevel also comes in handy when she is shopping.

“I can go into a store by myself and raise up when I need something that is on a higher shelf, without having to ask for assistance.”
– Chrysanthemum

Her Stretto Motorized Wheelchair with iLevel makes a huge difference in communicating with people as well. When she spoke with others, people used to get very close to Chrysanthemum and stare down at her.

“When I am raised up, people now give me space and don’t have to stare down at me,” Chrysanthemum said. “I am also approached more in public settings.”

Although she has become an international, award-winning cosplayer, winning eight “Best in Show” awards, Chrysanthemum is just getting started! She strives to learn new sewing techniques and has a special interest in corsets and adaptive fashion.

“My latest costume won best in show in the master’s category at a convention in Canada,” she said. “It was a gorgeous ball gown I designed based on one of my favorite video game characters.”

In addition to her interests of fashion and cosplay, Chrysanthemum plays the flute, guitar and loves to sing. She enjoys getting outdoors and interacting with nature.

Being an advocate is extremely important to Chrysanthemum. She uses her platform to educate others about her disability through videos, encouraging discussion among her followers. She works with a group of friends to incorporate the use of mobility aids in the cosplay community. In addition, Chrysanthemum reaches out to conventions and asks about wheelchair accessibility, providing information on how to make cosplay events more wheelchair accessible and inclusive.

“I believe that everyone should have the ability to go wherever they want in the world and not be restricted or judged, and to be able to do the things they love,” Chrysanthemum said.

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