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Abilities Magazine
| September 28th, 2004 | |
The ForumOntario March Of DimesFall 1996. Issue 28: p. 52 Forumby Mary Brown Joyce Boone was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1978 and continued in her employment as a banker for the next 13 years. But by 1992, her strength had diminished. For the next three years, Joyce stayed inside her house. She found it difficult to confront her disability and felt that if she started to use a mobility aid, she would be reliant on it for life. In 1995, a friend invited Joyce to join her in a day of shopping. Although Joyce knew that the day would probably be more than she could handle, she gave in under pressure and accepted her friend�s invitation. "I had difficulty going from store to store," she relates. After lunch, her friend disappeared into the mall and returned with a courtesy wheelchair. "Although I was hesitant, I got into the chair. What a shopping spree -- we covered that mall twice. A new world had opened up for me." When she and her husband discussed the episode later, they decided to investigate the possibility of borrowing or renting a wheelchair. After trying several sources, they were referred to the Ontario March of Dimes, which now operates a Recycled Rental Equipment Program. Joyce has used her rental wheelchair on many occasions in the last year. "There is no stopping me now," she says. "My chair has given me the independence I didn�t have for three years." With her regained independence, she and her husband attend community functions and the theatre, travel, and, of course, Joyce goes shopping... all activities that were impossible before. "The Ontario March of Dimes Recycled Rental Equipment Program is a wonderful service essential to our community," says Joyce. The Recycled Rental Equipment Program (RREP) is an expansion of the services offered by the OMOD Assistive Devices Program. RREP makes available short-term rental of assistive devices for adults with a physical disability. Items such as walkers, crutches and wheelchairs, along with other aids to independent living, are available to rent for a small fee. The monies received through the rental program are used to help fund the OMOD core Assistive Devices Program, designed to assist adults with disabilities who are in financial need. Brenda Bennett, a long-time volunteer with Ontario March of Dimes, explains, "This program is an expanded version of our traditional loan cupboard." Individuals requiring a device on a short-term basis can contact their local OMOD office. A doctor�s prescription is not required. The program is also able to reach a new group of individuals -- Ontario March of Dimes now can serve people with temporary disabilities. This group has often been overlooked in support services. Currently, RREP offices are located in Sault Ste. Marie, Timmins, Sudbury and Blind River in northern Ontario, and Toronto and Waterloo in southern Ontario. There are plans to expand the program to serve consumers throughout the province. In order to meet the anticipated demand for recycled equipment, Ontario March of Dimes will accept donations of items in good repair. "There is often a wealth of used devices in a community," says Kathy Glasser, Provincial Coordinator, Assistive Devices Program. "This allows individuals an opportunity to put something back into their community, if they choose." For more information about the Recycled Rental Equipment Program or to donate equipment, please contact your local Ontario March of Dimes office. (Mary Brown is the Assistive Devices Administrator, North East Region.) ONTARIO MARCH OF DIMES 10 OVERLEA BLVD. TORONTO, ON M4H 1A4 TEL: (416) 425-3463 FAX: (416) 425-1920 E-MAIL: [email protected] WEBSITE: http://www.omod.org
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