Carly Pistawka, Vancouver
Mobility aids at school
“I find that, because of my rollator, I can attend school more often. To know that I have constant support and a place to sit, relieves a significant amount of anxiety and physical fatigue.”
“So young and using a mobility-aid?” Such a remark can really hurt, much like receiving a chronic illness diagnosis. Especially as age does not determine the onset or severity of an illness. Seeing young people with mobility aids at school should be just as normal as seeing elders using walkers while grocery shopping. Carly Pistawka, a 23-years-old disabled university student at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, shared her story of living with chronic pain while still dedicating herself to her studies and graduating with honors...
Eleanor, Ottawa
A new lease on life
Eleanor is proof that with the right mobility aid, you can feel reenergized and become active again.
"I purchased a byACRE Carbon Ultralight rollator from your company earlier this year. It has changed my life. This photo was taken about a month ago in front of my house in Ottawa. Since I started regular walks using my byACRE rollator, I have lost weight and my doctor is really pleased with my health improvements. I treat my rollator as an exercise device and try to get in 2km when I walk. Not bad for an old gal of 87 !"
Sharon and Anne
How two neighbours got their mojo back
With their byACRE carbon ultralight rollators, Sharon and Anne are back on their feet and piling on the miles.
"I wanted to share these photos of Sharon and me with our matching byACRE rollators. Sharon is so thrilled with hers! She was such a huge walker before, but she had to quit because of back problems. Now she is really excited to be out walking again. Our homes back onto a pond with walking paths around it and I often see Sharon out walking. "You know, I love my Rollator! I am still walking a minimum of one hour a day, usually two hours, and yesterday I walked three hours!"
Joanne
After only four weeks of use, my legs are stronger, I feel safer and walk with a confident stride using my Butler.
From struggling to striding
"I am a proactive person who wants to maintain the best quality of life possible for myself. I noticed my balance deteriorating causing me to struggle when walking. I found the Scandinavian Butler online and promptly ordered it from Prairie Velo+ in Winnipeg. After only four weeks of use, my legs are stronger, I feel safer and walk with a confident stride using my Butler. It’s easy to turn in tight spaces. The tray and basket allow me to transport my handiwork supplies and meals safely and easily. I added a cup holder for my beverages! Now I walk with purpose and once again feel safe walking in my home. My thanks to Suzanne and the fine folks at Prairie Velo+."
Jorge Mora
Disability at work
Receiving a Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis is anything but easy. It’s life changing and challenging in so many ways – mentally, emotionally, professionally. You don’t want to give up your old life, but you do wonder how you are going to cope with it from now on.
When it comes to disability at work, a lot of fear, uncertainty and stigma revolves around the subject. The story of Jorge Mora, a successful Fund Account Manager from Halifax, is one of resilience and optimism. Symptoms of a disability can accumulate and become crippling very quickly, until you are finally faced with a diagnosis. Having a disability should not mean that you need to give up a professional life. It only means accepting and adjusting to a new reality. “My legs were getting worse and I fell a couple of times. One day I was alone at the office and I noticed I could not walk anymore; I had to grab the walls or anything I could hold onto in order to reach my car. These weird symptoms continued for a couple years, and at some point, I couldn’t walk at all. I ended up in the hospital and that was when I received my diagnosis: Multiple Sclerosis. Frustration, desperation and depression followed.” Jorge was very invested in his work life and receiving an MS diagnosis made him consider his disability at work. How would it impact his contribution at work? How would his colleagues view his disability? There was one thing Jorge was sure of: he was not going to stop working. “I didn’t know what to expect, but I realized that I needed a walking aid urgently. So, I made the first mistake of purchasing a random rollator online – it turned out to be extremely uncomfortable, totally unfitting for my body, and very expensive! I did not like it at all! So, I went to the rollator store in my city but still couldn’t find what I needed. I wanted something which was adapted to my body, was comfortable to use, and looked good.” The stigma around using a rollator is a common reason why people with mobility issues postpone their first purchase and want to avoid being seen with a rollator. Next to stability and safety, aesthetics of the product weighs a lot in the decision of purchase. It ultimately comes down to one simple thing: you don’t want to feel disabled. It helps a great deal to use a walking aid you are not ashamed to be seen with. “One day I saw that a friend with MS posted a picture with their Rollz Motion rollator – it looked different from the others, it looked cool! I did my own research online and I decided to take the plunge, ordering my own Rollz Motion.” With Rollz, Jorge not only found a rollator which met all his desired characteristics and enabled him to keep a big part of his identity – his work – but also found a mental and emotional support tool. “It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! I bought the purple Rollz Motion rollator. I named it Poe, like the mascot of my favorite American football team, the Baltimore Ravens.” “What makes Poe special is that it is so well designed that it feels like a natural extension of my body. It doesn’t hurt that it looks pretty cool as well! It is so easy to store in the trunk of my car that I am now able to take trips again. I might be disabled, but I want to look good. Poe combines usability and great design, so I do not feel disabled when I use it.” Taking disability at work to the next level Being a professional with a disability doesn’t only mean carrying the emotional charge, but also finding practical ways to adjust to the work environment which might not always be properly equipped. Elevators, ramps and pathways accessible for a rollator represent important aspects to consider and ask about at your workplace. Jorge found a way to make it work and continues enjoying his job with the support of Poe. “Poe changed my life! I can now go to places I could not go before. When I need to rest I can take a break. At work I feel safe now. I come to the office everyday so the days when my legs are being difficult I just bring Poe along with me and I can easily move around. I am even able to enjoy activities such as the Halloween office party. I could move around and interact with all my co-workers. There are no drawbacks at all by using Poe at the office or when going shopping.” At Rollz, what is most important for us is that we are able to support people to keep their lifestyle and pursue their goals, whilst helping them to overcome the feeling of disability at work and outside of work. Just like Jorge, many Rollz users in our community have named their rollatorsand are proud to use them every day. Our mission goes further with every happy “rollzer”. Jorge continued: “I am more independent and I feel that I got a part of my life back that I thought was lost. It makes me feel that I can take charge of my difficult situation instead of being dependent on others.” “Thank you Rollz! I look forward to years of adventures with Poe!” *Jorge Mora's story was first published by Rollz Mobility in Dec. 2022
Anne Buckley
When my granddaughter first learned to ride a two-wheeler, she told me she “felt free”. I just purchased a byACRE carbon ultralight rollator from Prairie Velo+ and now I “feel free” too!
How do you spell freedom?
I watched my dad and my athletic, tall, straight-postured husband, both hunch over their traditional walkers. I noticed other folks doing the same. I temporarily had to use a traditional walker a few years ago and had to push it ahead of me so I wouldn’t hit my shins. This caused me to hunch over just like everyone else. My back ached from the unnatural posture. I was determined to find a better walker, one that was designed to help me walk properly. I found it! The byACRE Carbon Ultralight rollator. I read everything I could find and watched YouTube videos all saying how great this award-winning, Danish-designed rollator is. It sounded amazing. I even had a video conference with the wonderful people at Prairie Velo+ in Winnipeg (the Canadian vendor of byACRE rollators). Even though I had all this information about the rollator, I didn’t really “get it” until my rollator showed up at my door. Perfect posture was my number one concern and requirement. I don’t know how they designed these rollators so that I stand straight but they did it. They say it is the forward-facing, ergonomic design of the handles. I thought the canvas seat might not be as comfortable as conventional seats. Let me tell you, it is like sitting in a hammock. It is so comfortable! They say the lightweight rollator is easy to lift. That’s true, it is the lightest in the world. It is also so easy to push! Every little detail has been engineered to perfection. For example, traditional walkers have bolts sticking out beyond the wheels. They scratch everything they touch: doorways, walls, furniture. The wheels on the byACRE rollator, which turn so easily, have an ever so slightly concave shape so they cannot scratch anything! It is so simple. I can’t believe no one thought of it before. In the last three years, I probably haven’t walked more than a very few minutes around the house. I was afraid to go out by myself. This is my third day with my byACRE rollator and I have walked about an hour and a half each day. Today, without even thinking, I went outside and walked because I wanted to. I feel so much better now that I am moving more. I could go on and on about this rollator and why it is the best. But I know you won’t really understand it until you try it for yourself. So go ahead, try one on! ———————————— Anne's testimonial was first published in February 2022. Since receiving her byACRE rollator, Anne is proud to say that she walks an hour almost every day and has lost 25 lbs along the way. The most important thing, she says, is how much better she feels!