Have you checked out your wheelchair lately? July is the month to make the wheelchair beautiful to match your personality because July is National Wheelchair Beautification Month. Time to show off your style along with your unique taste.
Illustrator and wheelchair-user, Horace Knowles, had the idea to Velcro a florist’s water tube to the top of his wheelchair to display flowers. His goal was to show his happiness and put a smile on the faces of others who saw him. Knowles hoped that other people that use wheelchairs would also use creativity in expression of their wheelchairs.
Over the years the concept of decorating your wheelchair took off from other people in wheelchairs all over the country. There has been contests, parades and decorating contests throughout different communities especially in the month of July. If you don’t want to decorate with glitter, balloons and such, there are several other ways to get the job accomplished. You can add a bandana to your arm rest, a flower on your joystick, or color wheelchair seat covers. Whatever makes it originally you and comfortable.
To those who do not need to use a wheelchair, cosmetics of it might be trivial. However, try to think of it like this and maybe you will understand better. Your body helps you to get where you need to go. Do you care what your body looks like? Do you try to keep it in good health and shape so you will be around for years to come? I am sure that most of you had said yes. People in wheelchairs use them as an extension of our body to get where we need to go. Therefore, having a wheelchair that looks good, feels good to be in and stays in great working order are all important.
People who can walk sometimes get confused that a wheelchair is much like a car. No, a car and a wheelchair are two very different things. A wheelchair simply helps us to be mobile as in someone walking around. I, and other people who use wheelchairs, cringe when we hear people ask, “Do you want to race?” I’m not using a car so there is nothing to race and it wouldn’t be even fair on the off chance I would ever agree to race.
When I received my first motorized wheelchair, I felt thrilled of my new founded independence. However, I didn’t like how the wheelchair looked and felt like it stood out but not in a pleasant way. Nowadays, there are so many options to choose from when picking out a new wheelchair. Not only can you pick the color of the base, but sometimes you can order fabric colors as well. Being able to pick your wheelchair color allows you to express your personality a bit and is pleasing for you to see each day. One day I’d like an easier way to change wheelchair colors and not stuck with the same one for three to eight years.
You can also buy an array of accessories for your wheelchair. Cup holders, water bottles, umbrella holders, bags, decorative bags and cellphone holders are just to name a few. These options help make your life easier, healthier and more enjoyable.
originally published on Cerebral Palsy News Today by Jessica Grono
