Elburgon Stories

From the 10th to 20th July 2013, a team from Wheels for the World will be distributing wheelchairs in Elburgon, Kenya. We've received a few stories and photos from them about the start of the trip, and will be adding more as they come in.

The happy team of volunteers as they arrive for Day 2 of the wheelchair distribution. From left to right: Gordon, Roy, Wendy, Carolyn, Deborah, Suzanne and Sue.

Wendy Devonshire wrote to tell us about Jane... 17 year-old Jane had been carried by her mother all her life until today. She had Cerebral Palsy and had a severely twisted spine – scoliosis – her hips were crooked. It appeared that her knees were too contracted to be able to extend and it seemed impossible that she could sit in a chair. With the help of an OT with the right experience in these matters we managed to move the limbs enough to put her in an adapted chair. She smiled and laughed most of the time and didn’t seem to experience any pain. I had noticed the chair previously and thought it suitable for a young adult as it was a supportive shape and relatively large. The coverings of the chair allowed the technician to insert specially cut foam shapes underneath the cover, which protected it and made it look very nice. Also a wedge was cut to go under the knees to improve the sitting position.
The result was a young teenager sitting up and seeing her surroundings in a more normal way for the first time as well as a happy and relieved mother.

Roy Hurd demonstrates his passion to help disabled children by giving meticulous care to the support needs of youngsters such as this boy. Roy had made up eight plywood trays at home and took them as his luggage to Kenya to benefit some of new wheelchair users, allowing them to have a work surface, and be able to take meals more easily.

Suzanne Millwood, a young OT from Basingstoke, gets to work on her first Wheels for the World trip, in the process of assessing the best seating arrangement for this man.

More news to follow as time and internet permit!
Nigel

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