Helping Disabled Parents Connect with their Kids

February 12, 2008

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Home \ Lifestyle

Helping Disabled Parents Connect

with Their Kids

(ARA) -

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

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 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.

, ARAnet, Inc.

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