KC HELP
The Knights Community Hospital Equipment Lend Program
Blog Intro Here
Richland School District Physical Therapist Requests Assistance for a Special Needs Child
After trying multiple federal and state programs for a wheelchair to use at school for a special needs child, the physical therapist for Richland School District came to our Regional Repair Center in Pasco with his last attempt. Did we have a child’s transport chair that was really small? While discussing the child’s degenerative growth condition and other physical limitations, it became evident that a standard transport chair would not do.
She needed to have a combination transport/wheelchair outfitted with special supports. It needed to have body harness belts, head support, leg supports and adjustable feet. In addition, if it had a rotating tilt mechanism, it would help shifting her pressure points while attending classes and setting for long periods in the chair.
A recent initiative by KC Help is to build more inventory for children mobile assist equipment. But, we were not sure we had one this advanced. After an initial search in our wheelchair area, even our smallest 14-inch size was too large and did not have the special support features. However, in our receiving area for equipment waiting to be inspected, cleaned, and inventoried into our system, was a child’s 10-inch tilt-combination transport chair that just might work. This donation was from a parent whose child had outgrown it and donated it to KC Help. Plucking it from the pile and checking out the features made us all smile. The Physical Therapist could not believe his eyes.
It had everything his patient needed. He asked if we knew how much these things cost? Yes, we knew. For over 20 years, we have been trying to find mobile assist devices for people and they are not all built the same. A transport chair like this would retail for near $3,000.
So, we cleaned and sanitized the chair and did a full mechanical checkout. We were able to bring the chair to nearly new condition. Do you think we came close? Now the next thing is to see if our special client will fit comfortably in the chair. The Therapist was positive it would work, but often some minor adjustments are needed. The therapist did say the child would not grow much more so this chair could be a long-term loan. That is not a problem for us. In fact, it is a blessing for us that we were able to help. We hope she will be able come by some day so we can all see her.
Columbia Center Rotary Tri Cities Stepping Up