Ambulatory wheelchair users are relatively common but say they often face judgement and accusations they're faking their disabilities. This is what they want you to know.
She also knows that might be all the evidence they need to conclude she doesn't "really need" the wheelchair."If I didn't have a chair, I don't think that I would go out," Shae said.
"I also get a lot of lower back pain that I would describe as excruciating. I'm not very quick ... so it's just easier to be able to utilise the chair and get what I need to get done safely." Kate is "predominantly housebound" and uses her non-powered chair in situations where a friend can help push her along.
Many ambulatory wheelchair users report being judged, stigmatised or accused of faking their disabilities to cheat their way into support.Shae said she was regularly accosted at accessible car parks when standing up from her wheelchair to transfer into the car driver's seat. "But then someone said to me, 'do you know what? People who don't need wheelchairs don't fantasise about using one'."Progress has been made, but advocates say there is still a long way to go before ambulatory wheelchair use becomes normalised.In recent years the #AmbulatoryWheelchairUsersExist hashtag has been used on social media to build visibility and understanding, as have social media videos aiming to break down the stigma.
"Whether someone looks like they're disabled or they don't, there should be more education as to why someone might need to utilise a wheelchair, rather than put up with the pain that they're feeling or just missing out completely.""They are for whoever needs them," she said.
Ambulatory Ambulatory Wheelchair Users Exist
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