Rehasense Track Wheel allows Nicole to enjoy the great outdoors
Image1


Five-year-old Nicole Kuliskova is now able to fully enjoy the great outdoors thanks to her Rehasense Track Wheel which is part of her recently delivered 3-in-1 wheelchair from Recare who are a Rehasense dealer based in the UK.

Living in a small village, many of the paths resemble ‘off road’ conditions so Nicole needed a wheelchair solution that would enable her to travel safely over such terrain as her mother Adriana explains: “The daily walk to and from school takes us along various country paths plus Nicole and her brother are very much outdoor children who enjoy being outside as much as possible. So, I explained to Recare that Nicole’s new wheelchair would need to be up to the task.”

Before being introduced to Recare, Nicole had a manual NHS wheelchair that she found increasingly difficult to propel. This resulted in Adriana having to push Nicole everywhere and Nicole losing vital independence and social interaction with other children. Nicole’s condition might be progressive, so it was essential a better solution was found; however, they had very little budget for specialist equipment. Adriana contacted the charity AFK for help, and they recommended Recare. As AFK and Recare had already worked closely together for many years, this was the beginning of a life-changing journey for Nicole.

[...]

Nicole is now the proud owner of a Ki Mobility Click manual wheelchair with a powered Benoit Light Drive 2.1 Mini and a Rehasense Track Wheel. Funding was managed by AFK who coordinated with four other charities to raise the necessary funds required.

“The Track Wheel is an essential part of the wheelchair and our daily life. What the NHS provided was not suitable at all - we used to get stuck on every stone, pothole or pavement which was very frustrating and draining for both of us. So, this wheelchair is life changing for us as a family! Nicole has her freedom to go wherever she wants; her big brother Jacob has a buddy to play and run around with and I’m finally free of pushing a heavy unsuitable wheelchair all the time! It feels like the burden of having a disabled child has been lifted off my shoulders! She’s so much more included in the games with others, and she has the freedom to go wherever she wants as well. Hearing other children shouting at her: “Stop running away Nicole!” has made me cry many times at the beginning because she never had a chance of doing that before” continued Adriana.

Track Wheel has been designed to transform a standard manual wheelchair into an agile tricycle to enable wheelchair users to experience greater freedom. Whether you are out and about around town or going for more adventurous days out over rougher terrain such as in the forest or on the beach, the Track Wheel is the ideal companion. By attaching the 12” Track Wheel, the wheelchair’s castors are raised which slightly tilts the chair backwards and by noticeably reducing the rolling resistance, the user can enjoy increased speed, manoeuvrability, and comfort.

Weighing from only 2.6 kg, the carbon fibre Track Wheel is available in single or double arm versions and adds very little weight to the existing wheelchair. The single arm model has been designed for use with rigid wheelchairs while the double arm model is for use with foldable wheelchairs featuring fixed integrated footrests. Attaching the Track Wheel to the wheelchair frame requires no tools and the entire process takes a matter of seconds

“Away from school and the many mid-week therapy appointments, being outside as much as possible is important for us. As Nicole’s wheelchair is now all-terrain, we can go on grass and tackle bumps on the pavement. It’s three wheelchairs in one. We have an indoor manual wheelchair, an outdoor powered wheelchair, and a specialist supportive seat to help Nicole’s posture. It’s also easy to dismantle to fit in the car as the Benoit power add-on comes off. I have a small car, but it all fits in the boot. This makes a huge difference, especially with so many hospital appointments at St. George’s Hospital and Stanmore in London. We can always take the car and park instead of going by train or taxi, making life much more straightforward and stress-free” concluded Adriana.

Since Nicole received her grant-funded equipment, Adriana has continued fundraising for her daughter and Muscular Dystrophy UK. She is completing a skydive to aid the charity and coordinating donations organised by her local pub – The Fox Inn, Rudgwick. Unable to work full time, Adriana has trained herself to become an artist and is regularly commissioned to produce pieces via her Instagram business ‘ArtbyAdi222’

To donate to Adriana’s skydiving page, visit https://tinyurl.com/yckwun8c For more information on the full range of mobility solutions available from Rehasense UK visit www.rehasense.co.uk


01/06/2022