Helping Disabled Parents Connect with Their Kids

Ask any parent and they're sure to tell you it's hard to keep up with their kids. If they're one of the millions of parents in the United States who use a wheelchair it can be next to impossible.

Bob Burns of Hopedale, Mass., who has post-polio syndrome, used to miss out on his sons' activities because they were just too hard to get to. Bob Gregory of Chicago, Ill., who has multiple sclerosis, used to miss too many of his daughter's soccer tournaments because he couldn't maneuver his chair on rough terrain. And Alan Brown of Hollywood, Fla., who was paralyzed in a swimming accident, is still devastated by the fact that when his sons were babies, he couldn't go to them and pick them up when they were crying.  

Fast forward to the present and all three men have a new lease on life. Not because of some medical miracle, unfortunately, but because they are now the proud owners of an INDEPENDENCE iBOT 4000 Mobility System, a unique wheelchair that uses multiple computers to help its users live as normal a life as possible. The chair enables people with disabilities to easily perform such feats as climbing curbs and stairs, moving over rough terrain, like sand, gravel and grass, and even elevating themselves up to eye-to-eye height with able bodied people. Click here for a demonstration of how the chair works.

Bob Burns has had his iBOT Mobility System since August of 2005 and says it has made a huge difference in his relationship with his kids. "When you have a teenager and are in a wheelchair, there's a certain amount of disappointment. People look at you with pity," he says. "But ever since I got the iBOT Mobility System, I've been a point of interest for the kids."

That was especially evident when Burns showed up at the Indiana University dorms this past September to help his 19-year-old son, Spenser, move in for his freshman year. "Spenser's room is on the fourth floor and the only way to get there was to climb the stairs which I did easily with the iBOT Mobility System. Those who saw me do it were just amazed. If I was still in my manual chair, I would have had to miss out on the excitement of getting my oldest son settled in for college."

Bob Gregory says the iBOT Mobility System has given him back his spontaneity. "My daughter plays for a soccer club that travels all over the Midwest," he says. "I used to have to pick and choose the tournaments I'd attend based on how wheelchair-friendly the field was. With the iBOT Mobility System, I can make it to any tournament I want, even those without paved walkways. The iBOT Mobility System is such a marvel; it's a source of pride. My daughter's friends are always saying, 'Gosh your Dad has such a cool chair!'"

Alan Brown marvels over the fact that the high-tech chair has enabled him to live a more active lifestyle than he ever thought possible after his accident. "I live near the beach and when I had the manual chair, I had to sit on the boardwalk and watch my kids play and toss around the Frisbee. Now I can get out there and play with them. Heck, I can even play basketball with the kids and win because I can raise myself up to the basket," he says laughing.

More than 8 million families include at least one parent that has a disability. This chair is just one of the many tools that can make life easier for them.

To find out if the iBOT Mobility System can improve your quality of life, or help someone you know, log on to www.ibotnow.com and fill out the quick online form. A customer service representative will follow up with you in the manner you request -- by phone, email or by sending an informational packet through the U.S. Mail.

Copyright © 2008, ARAnet, Inc.