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