Category Archives: personalizing

November 19, 2013 · 4:27 pm

Dr. Who, Halloween, and the most awesome wheelchair costumes!

How does all this fit together?

1. It’s the 50th anniversary of Dr. Who! The long running BBC science fiction tv series about the adventures of a time-traveling humanoid alien known as the Doctor. My brother and I seriously loved this show when we were kids – it has great characters and some seriously creative low-tech special effects!

2. Dr. Who travels in this super cool ship – the TARDIS – a time machine that is bigger on the inside than the outside.

The TARDIS used from 2005 to 2010

3. It was Halloween a few weeks ago and I’ve started to notice an awesome trend toward Wheelchair Costumes (what a great idea!). There are lots of great ones out there, but one of my all time favourites is from the UK of Dr. Who and his TARDIS!

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Filed under Design, DIY, Inspirational, Mobility Aids, Personal Stories, personalizing, Photos, Posts, Recreation, Uncategorized

Tagged as art, design, disability, fun, innovation, mobility, wheelchair, youth

September 9, 2013 · 3:36 pm

Personalized Prosthetics – What’s your fancy?

Video: Woman builds prosthetic leg out of Lego - The Globe and Mail

Occupational therapist Christina Stephens designed and built her own lego leg – Cool! You can watch how she does this in her time-lapse video that went viral this past summer –

Personalized prosthetics serve many purposes beyond function – not only can they get people where they need to go, they do so with style, with fun, with flare, and yes with FASHION. Check out the ‘alternative limb project’ where consumers are participants in the design process selecting pieces that either “blend in with the body or stand out as unique pieces of art, reflecting the wearers imagination, personality, and interests”.

Personalized prosthetics, like personalized mobility devices, not only delight the eye, they help to break down social barriers by promoting conversation, admiration and interest.

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Filed under Articles, Barriers, Design, DIY, Inspirational, Personal Stories, personalizing, Photos, Posts, Projects, Uncategorized, Videos

Tagged as amputees, art, design, disability, fun, function & fashion, innovation, mobility, prosthetics, sexy, toys

May 14, 2013 · 10:04 am

Wheelchair-Bound Teen Makes History In The World Of Extreme Sports

“A lot of people think of the wheelchair as a medical instrument,” says Aaron Fatheringham a young man born with spina bifida who ‘tricked out’ his chair to accommodate his passion for extreme sports “I think that’s wrong. You know, why not think of it as something fun?”.

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Filed under Barriers, Inspirational, Personal Stories, personalizing, Posts, Quotes, Sports, Uncategorized

Tagged as athletes, fun, mobility aid, sexy, speed, sport, wheelchair, youth

April 22, 2013 · 10:38 am

The Samsonite Micro Suitcase Scooter – Smart AND Sexy!

Our ability to get where we need to go is an essential part of life . Getting there WITH our STUFF is critical to this! I mean who doesn’t need to at least carry their wallet, sunglasses, keys, phone and book while out and about? Occupational and physiotherapists tell me that the NUMBER ONE reason why people refuse a motorized wheelchair and instead choose a scooter – even if their healthcare provider is recommending the wheelchair – is because “THERE IS A BASKET ON THE FRONT”! Are you telling me we can’t figure this out?

Check out the suitcase scooter in action – fun, fashion and function at its best!

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Filed under Design, personalizing, Posts, Uncategorized, Videos

Tagged as design, fun, function & fashion, innovation, mobility, movement, sexy, speed

April 9, 2013 · 10:50 am

Wei Yen – function and FUN

Wei Yen uses her foot horn to let people know she is coming - so smart!

Wei Yen hand stitched her wheelchair cover and added many other accessories that make her mobility device more functional AND fun. Check out her foot pedal horn!

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Filed under Accessibility, Design, Mobility Aids, personalizing, Posts, Videos

Tagged as design, determination, disability, fun, function & fashion, innovation, mobility, movement, speed, Toronto, wheelchair

March 14, 2013 · 11:09 am

Lady Gaga’s Pimped Up and Personalized Gold Wheelchair: A 24-Karat ‘Chariot’

Recovering from recent hip surgery for an inflammatory joint infection called synovitis, the superstar was originally given a more traditional wheelchair which she affectionately named ‘Emma’. Not wanting to give up her style however (who does?!), Lady Gaga commissioned jewelry designer Ken Borochov to design the leather-tufted chair that features a removable canopy. Now THAT’s more like it girl – “P-p-p-poker face, p-p-poker face – Mum mum mum mah”…

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Filed under Accessibility, Articles, Design, Mobility Aids, personalizing, Posts

Tagged as art, chronic disease, design, function & fashion, mobility, sexy

February 12, 2013 · 11:08 am

Art-a-Ride ~ Creating personalized wheelchair experiences

Benja loved showing off his newly pimped up chair to his friends. He now has a dragon snake tattooed all around that opens its mouth as the wheels turn, and several customized-by-friends accessories using velcro, and other material, enriching his wheelchair experience! His mom simply posted a message on Facebook saying “I’m starting a new project for Benja’s b’day, want to contribute to an art-a-ride project?”. It’s this simple and easy, help us spread the word.

Art-a-Ride connects creative people with kids with disabilities to turn their factory looking – medicalized – wheelchairs that highlight their limitations, into interesting, meaningful, and in the case of Benja here – super cool – “rides”.

The final co-creations, according to founder Eva de Lera, have a profound impact on the kids, their lives, and the lives of their families. How amazing!

I’ve talked about this before, personalizing mobility aids is a form of self-expression that is not only good for our health and the health of those around us, its also really fun!

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Filed under Accessibility, Design, Mobility Aids, personalizing, Posts, Projects

Tagged as design, fun, function & fashion, innovation, kids, mobility, wheelchair

November 30, 2012 · 11:38 am

THE MAN WHO LIVED ON HIS BIKE

Guillaume Blanchet lives on his bike for a YEAR

Guillaume Blanchet lived on his bike for a YEAR in Montreal

“I love being on a bike. It helps me feel free. I get it from my dad.”

Guillaume Blanchet lives on his bike for a year and dedicates this video and his love of cycling to his 64 year old father who has been riding his bike over 120,000km!

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Filed under Mobility Aids, Personal Stories, personalizing, Posts, Videos

Tagged as bike, fun, mobility, Montreal, movement, speed

November 6, 2012 · 11:33 am