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My friend Joe is 22 years old and has an amazing spirit, a wicked sense of humour, a very odd (at times) taste in music and a long-held, big, big wish that most of us simply take for granted: to be able to walk.
We met when I volunteered to walk his gorgeous golden retriever, Saffi, at the start of the pandemic and my connection with him was instant. He is friendly, positive and has such a thirst for life that he never fails to impress and inspire me.
Joe was diagnosed with severe, quadriplegic cerebral palsy and associated speech and visual difficulties shortly after birth and has fought hard to overcome so many odds in life already. He has, though, never been able to walk and exercise independently which continues to be his greatest desire to this day.
Recently, Joe’s been able to have the joy of experiencing what it feels like to walk in an InnoWalk machine - a supportive, motorised training device which allows wheelchair users with complex physical disabilities the opportunity to exercise in an upright weight-bearing position – and was so thrilled about it, it really moved me. This is what he said:
'I’ve wished and wished to walk my whole life so trying out the Innowalk was the most amazing experience for me. I absolutely loved the sensation of walking. My body relaxed after the exercise and I was able to sleep better. It’d be amazing to be able to do it every day and I’d love it if my friends [who have similar disabilities] could have a go when they visit too.”
The Innowalk provides a stretch to muscles and, due to its upright weight-bearing position, can help to reduce the atrophy in Joe’s muscles and relieve the pain.
It is a static machine that starts off in a seated position so the person can be hoisted into it and then, once the straps are in place, moves them into standing and walking. It can also work as a “cross-trainer” exercising the user’s arms and legs at the same time.
There are many benefits to using the Innowalk (just one of them being that 30 minutes of dynamic standing lowers the spasticity in the muscles around the lower joints) but it is also very costly at £24,434.00 (to include the extra support Joe needs to use it).
As this is so far beyond his reach, I have decided to bring his story to YOU.
Please help me make this wish come true. My greatest hope is that by his 23rd birthday in August this year, we can give Joe the gift of walking and the benefits of exercise that we all enjoy without even a thought.
Nicoleta x
We met when I volunteered to walk his gorgeous golden retriever, Saffi, at the start of the pandemic and my connection with him was instant. He is friendly, positive and has such a thirst for life that he never fails to impress and inspire me.
Joe was diagnosed with severe, quadriplegic cerebral palsy and associated speech and visual difficulties shortly after birth and has fought hard to overcome so many odds in life already. He has, though, never been able to walk and exercise independently which continues to be his greatest desire to this day.
Recently, Joe’s been able to have the joy of experiencing what it feels like to walk in an InnoWalk machine - a supportive, motorised training device which allows wheelchair users with complex physical disabilities the opportunity to exercise in an upright weight-bearing position – and was so thrilled about it, it really moved me. This is what he said:
'I’ve wished and wished to walk my whole life so trying out the Innowalk was the most amazing experience for me. I absolutely loved the sensation of walking. My body relaxed after the exercise and I was able to sleep better. It’d be amazing to be able to do it every day and I’d love it if my friends [who have similar disabilities] could have a go when they visit too.”
The Innowalk provides a stretch to muscles and, due to its upright weight-bearing position, can help to reduce the atrophy in Joe’s muscles and relieve the pain.
It is a static machine that starts off in a seated position so the person can be hoisted into it and then, once the straps are in place, moves them into standing and walking. It can also work as a “cross-trainer” exercising the user’s arms and legs at the same time.
There are many benefits to using the Innowalk (just one of them being that 30 minutes of dynamic standing lowers the spasticity in the muscles around the lower joints) but it is also very costly at £24,434.00 (to include the extra support Joe needs to use it).
As this is so far beyond his reach, I have decided to bring his story to YOU.
Please help me make this wish come true. My greatest hope is that by his 23rd birthday in August this year, we can give Joe the gift of walking and the benefits of exercise that we all enjoy without even a thought.
Nicoleta x