Motivation Australia is grateful to have the support of many knowledgeable and experienced volunteers from a range of disciplines and countries. Recently one of our amazing volunteers, Debbie Wilson from Seating to Go, New Zealand traveled to Solomon Islands to run a children’s wheelchair clinic with local personnel on the island of Malaita.
The clinic focused on refreshing personnel’s knowledge and skills on assessment, prescription, fitting, user training, and follow up of intermediate level wheelchairs for children. Debbie mentored and supported the team through the service provision process, whilst providing appropriate wheelchairs to three children and following up two others.
One of the children to receive a new wheelchair was 14 year old Joseph. Joseph’s uncle Edwin described Joseph’s growing excitement during the taxi trip to Kilu’ufi Hospital to receive his wheelchair and how Joseph loved looking around at all the different people and places they passed. During the final fitting Joseph kept smiling and saying “wheelchair, wheelchair”, he was very happy. Edwin hopes that Joseph will now be able to be involved with his local community, meet new people and be outside with others more. But most important was the plans to stop for an ice cream on the way home!
Acknowledgements
Motivation Australia would like to thank Debbie Wilson, from Seating to Go, New Zealand for sharing her time, knowledge and experiences with local personnel. MA also acknowledges the valuable contribution of the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) to our work in the Solomon Islands. MA also acknowledges the ongoing donation of quality, appropriate wheelchairs by Wheelchairs for Kids.