GRIT recently had the pleasure of sitting down with GRIT Freedom Chair rider, Emily H., of British Columbia, Canada. Emily has owned her GRIT Freedom Chair for over three years and has used it to rekindle a love for hiking and to navigate sand and rocky beaches with her family. Thank you, Emily for your time and—most of all—for keeping those levers pumping!
What is one of your top memories while using your GRIT Freedom Chair?
One of my favourite memories of using my GRIT wheelchair was one of the first times I used it! I hadn’t been able to go hiking for a few years, and I missed some of my favourite spots. The GRIT chair was able to get me over sandy and rocky terrain so I could hike one of my favourite trails again!
“I have much more freedom and the ability to see places I haven’t been in years.”
—Emily
Where is your favorite place to adventure in your GRIT Freedom Chair?
I love to take my chair to camping areas, and with a little help from family I can even get down all the way to the beach.
What has been the most challenging part of using your GRIT chair?
One of the challenges of the GRIT chair would be its inability to fit into small areas like shops or bathrooms. It is handy to have a secondary wheelchair to help get into those small spots.
Can you tell us about your experience with the adaptive community in Canada? Are there any organizations or groups that have been helpful to you?
There are not a lot of communities in Canada that I know of for funding for the chair, but the Spina Bifida Association might be able to help a bit. My mom set up a GoFundMe and we crowdfunded the chair for me.
I love to take my chair to camping areas, and with a little help from family I can even get down all the way to the beach.
—Emily
You’ve owned your chair for three years. Has your relationship with your chair changed over time?
It is a total game changer and has impacted my life for the better. I have much more freedom and the ability to see places I haven’t been in years.
What would you say to new or future GRIT riders?
For any new GRIT riders, I would say start off slow and see how comfortable you are in the chair before going on a big adventure. It is very light and easy to handle!