Elap Fulfils Special Request

Elap mobility took on a project in November that brought a smile to many people’s faces. Harrison Alford age 6 from Essex is only 2” taller than his 18 month old brother suffers from the rare form of dwarfism called Spondyloepiphyseal Dysplasia Congenita. His mother Leanne contacted Elap Mobility to see if we could help her source a paediatric mobility scooter to help Harrison with his journey to and from school every day. Leanne had contacted many companies all over the world and the handful of options that she did find would have cost close to £10,000 by the time it came to the UK. After facing the same problems as Leanne finding a cost effective option we went back to the drawing board and with Leanne’s approval we adapted an adult mobility scooter.

Joanne Park our Homecare and Personal Mobility Manger who took on the project worked closely with one of Elap’s engineer Oliver to adapt the seating, the tiller and add the finishing touches and we delivered it three days before Christmas.

Joanne said “It was a complete surprise for Harrison and he was so happy with it, it made every bit of hard work worthwhile”. Harrisons mother Leanne also hopes that it will make other parents with children who only have a limited need for a powered mobility product aware that there are other options available apart from a powered wheelchair.

Until Harrison got his scooter he used to travel to school and back in a pushchair when his joints were aching and with Harrison attending a mainstream school this was only going to be a temporary option. Leanne added “We were advised to get him a motorised wheelchair, but I thought, no, Harrisons not disabled and I don’t want him growing up thinking that. There may be a day when he has to be in a wheelchair but not yet.”