WHEELCHAIR user Karen Beaton from Warrington has been given a new lease of life thanks to the Steve Morgan Foundation.
Karen, aged 60, found herself becoming increasingly isolated as she struggled to manoeuvre herself around in her manual wheelchair.
Karen who lives with her daughter Verity and four-year-old grandson Niall, was left paralysed from the waist down because of a rare condition called spinal arteriovenous malformation (AVM).
AVM is an abnormal tangle of blood vessels on, in or near the spinal cord and the condition caused Karen to suffer two life-changing bleeds in 1981 and 1984.
Recalling what happened she said: “Until the age of 19 it was completely undiagnosed. I hadn’t suffered any symptoms and even passed a physical exam to get into the police.
“Then one day I suffered a pain in my legs caused by a bleed and dropped to the floor. I was in hospital for 13 months.”
Three years later she suffered her second major bleed and has been a full-time wheelchair user ever since.
Karen said: “I was determined to try and lead as normal a life as possible. I got married, had children and held down a job.”
However, the combination of being a long-time wheelchair user and having several other medical conditions, including osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, took its toll.
“After 40 years of pushing myself around in a wheelchair my hands and shoulders became really painful,” she said. “I didn’t go anywhere that involved pushing my wheelchair any distance.”
Her occupational therapist recommended she get an electric-powered front wheel attachment called a DaVinci Citta Trailrider.
The device attaches to the frame of the wheelchair and makes it a lot easier for the user to get around.
Karen explained: “The simplest way to describe the Trailrider is it effectively turns a wheelchair into a battery-operated trike.
“The problem is I couldn’t afford the £4,000 price tag so I applied to the Steve Morgan Foundation’s Enable Fund for help.”
The Enable Fund supports people of all ages in financial hardship, who are in need of specialised equipment, including mobility aids, wheelchairs, buggies and trikes.
The Foundation stepped in to meet the £4,000 bill and Karen has just taken delivery of the DaVinci Citta Trailrider.
“It’s been amazing,” said Karen. “It’s allowed me to get out and mix with my family. It’s opened things up to me and I’m able to go to the park with Niall. I’m very grateful to the Steve Morgan Foundation.”
