Nurse Gemma with disabilities thrives thanks to WHILL C2
Gemma is a mental health nurse, parent of two young children and has a disability which stops her walking far. Add these up and life could get overwhelming. Not for Gemma.
Combine her determination with a WHILL C2 powered wheelchair and you have a lady who thrives at home and work.
At 38 Gemma manages Hypermobility Syndrome and Spondylolisthesis. Basically, chronic joint problems and an unstable back. Gemma tries to use crutches for short distances, but working frontline in NHS mental health services means this is not practical all the time. Then there’s at home and holidaying – trying to keep up with her two boys aged 2 and 8. When you can’t walk safely, it’s just not worth the risk. The answer? A WHILL C2. This TGA powerchair “removes a layer of disability” and makes her “an equal parent” as she says. What a game changer.
Gemma would never be without her WHILL. For many reasons – from “comfort and fatigue management to pain relief and preventative safety.” Starting with being a busy Nurse she explains why: “It’s crucial at work. MK hospital is massive and very hilly. If I’m not feeling able to use my crutches, or need speed, it gets me around. I’ve been a nurse for over 20 years and have seen a massive growth in demand for mental health support. I manage the front door services thanks to my powerchair.”
Away from her job and there’s even more of a difference. “It means freedom to me,” continues Gemma. “I feel like I’m an able-bodied parent. How can I put it? It removes a layer of disability. My wife also thinks its life changing and likes the look of it. I have lots of equipment however the WHILL is not chunky like my other pieces and fits in small spaces.”
So how did Gemma come to discover a WHILL in the first place? It all began with her friend Jenni who had one. “We met through online disability networks as she’s known as ‘Chronically Jenni’ on social media. I went to Naidex last year to meet her in my manual wheelchair with River on my lap and she suggested I try the WHILL on the TGA stand. I just loved it – its futuristic looks and front wheels, manoeuvrability and ease of use.”
After a year of owning a WHILL, family life continues to rattle on at pace. A little easier than before. Gemma can make the most of where she lives: “Milton Keynes is a great place to be and good for accessibility. There are lots of beautiful outdoor spaces. It’s not just all concrete and roundabouts here as some people think! I love being able to get out with my kids. We go for walks or I take them out in the car to various clubs. It’s easy to put the WHILL in my Peugeot Rifter as I can dismantle it or use my boot hoist. I have loads of room for everything else. When we’re out I always get lovely comments about my chair. People say ‘wow’ and ‘that doesn’t look anything like a wheelchair’.”
“The fact that you can do a 360 on the spot is amazing, my old wheelchair just didn’t have that function. The other brilliant thing is that I can maintain a straight line when passing drop kerbs. Previously I felt like I could be catapulted into the road when the camber changed. I can’t tell you how frightening it is when you’re on your own and you feel you could swerve into the road. I feel so much safer now regardless of what the pavement is doing.”
Then there are better family holidays. They have a 31-year-old campervan call ‘Dolly’ that they cherish. This classic Fiat Ducato gets them away locally for weekend breaks and to Gemma’s favourite destination – the New Forest. “We love packing the kids up and going off to spend time together. With my WHILL I’m able to navigate my way around places like Paultons Park and it gives River a little bit of independence as he’s not in his pushchair all the time. Occasionally we take advantage of the Motability Switch Scheme where you can hire a WAV. This means I can drive the WHILL straight in on ramps. More regularly we’ve stayed places that are only two miles away from home, but you feel like you’re somewhere else completely. Like the other weekend when there was a heatwave, we stayed down the road at Cosgrove Park where the kids got to use the swimming pool.”
As Gemma, her family and her WHILL C2 move forward, she’ll continue to fly the flag for disability. She finishes by saying: “On top of my everyday stuff, I’ll carry on raising awareness about disability on social media. I post about inclusive fashion and offer advice on being a parent with a disability. I’ll continue to challenge the stereotypes of what mobility aids should look like with my WHILL. Especially when we’re off to the New Forest again it two weeks, back to my happy place.”
