NDIS and the ILC Helped me Find a Scooter – Peta

I am a participant in the NDIS due to limited mobility. I had seen a LUGGIE (portable mobility scooter) and asked my care planner and ILC OT if we could include it in my plan. My daughter lives in Melbourne and whilst I’ve been to Melbourne many times with Scouting – I’d not been into the streets of Melbourne.

Celeste (ILC OT) and Patsy (NDIS) were hoping we could get the LUGGIE in time for my long weekend away with my children. They worked hard and LUGGIE appeared in my life – I was so grateful.

I have travelled extensively throughout the world and the last 2 overseas holidays I’ve chosen to use a wheelchair – people think they like to ‘help’ by pushing a wheelchair which in my case takes away independence, opportunities and ability.

Pull my own suitcase; My trip to Melbourne with LUGGIE offered my so many first time opportunities.

• Take a ride on a tram;
• Spend a day at Melbourne zoo and go off the beaten track ….and the souvenir shop…;
• Take my own pictures of what I liked;
• Shop in shops I enjoyed;
• Go into Federation Square instead of simply driving around it;
• Go into the Shrine of Remembrance and spend my own moments of reflection;
• Walk along the beach forefront with Aaron and Gemma;
• Shop alone in the Sky Deck souvenir shop – yes I brought a pen yay!
• Go into the streets of Melbourne;
• Watch the awesome street kids do their graffiti art on the graffiti walls;
• Wander along Southbank and have a stress test at a little stall – no stress lady I was told;
• Have Aaron and Gemma say ‘come on Mum’ as I chose to go off the beaten track yay…;
• Aaron and Gemma both made comment on the freedom LUGGIE gives me and how they wished we’d discovered it earlier in our lives.

I’m planning my next overseas adventure to Sth Africa on a safari plus going to Uluru – LUGGIE will be with me as together we’ll experience many treasured moments of our choice, freedom, independence, heaps of our own touristy pics.

With LUGGIE the doors have opened to explore my own city and beyond – many moments we’ll share however LUGGIE has given me a new found level of freedom and independence – thanks to NDIS and ILC’s OT Celeste.

Peta Crane

Perth, WA