Hi, my name is Annie, and I’ve been living with a spinal cord injury for 19 years.
Combining my love for animals and nature with severe pain and limited mobility has been a tough challenge for the healthcare system to solve. Even though I’ve been using an “extreme” wheelchair for 12 years, it has come with significant limitations on what I can do. Two years ago, I received an updated version of the chair, but while it looked similar visually, it came with several major design flaws.
Due to my injury, I need extensive core support. For someone like me, who’s determined to keep up with horses, sheep herding, and my two Border Collies (my greatest passion), finding a functional wheelchair has been incredibly tricky. Most seats fail to provide the balance I need for my upper body, leaving me in extreme pain.
Two years ago, I looked into a Zoomability chair, but everyone around me said, “No, you won’t be able to handle it.” So, I kept fighting with all my might for my right to live an active life.
Then, in August 2024, the electronics in my “extreme” wheelchair burned out. Knowing how slow the healthcare system typically is—and that getting a specialized wheelchair repaired would take months (as of now, it’s being repaired abroad—sigh)—I convinced my somewhat worried husband that we should go and try out a Zoom. I was in the middle of the herding season, with two very active dogs, and being stuck indoors was no fun for anyone around me.
When I arrived, I thought, how are they going to fit my 183 cm frame and broad hips into that seat? And how will I manage with my spastic legs? But it worked—I was secured in place as if held by a vise. Getting out was admittedly harder, but to my surprise, I wasn’t in more pain after the test drive. Zoomability listened carefully to my feedback and explained how the chair could be customized for me.
The test drive was amazing! We made the decision the next day, and four days later, we picked up my very own Zoom. It’s had a few custom modifications so I can sit even more comfortably for longer periods.
For 19 years, I’ve navigated tough terrain in sheep pastures that felt like mogul courses, often with my heart in my throat. Now, I zoom through them. Even my dogs seem to think, Are you really allowed to go this fast out here in the fields?
Strangely, I never think about the cost anymore. If it ever comes up, my husband and I both chime in at the same time: Worth every penny.
For 19 years, mud, soft ground, glare ice, and more have been my nemesis, forcing me to skip activities and avoid certain places because they were inaccessible. Now, it’s almost a challenge to try new things. I often come home covered in mud but with a huge smile on my face.
Many people criticize the simplicity of the seat design. For me, it’s the magical ingredient that lets me navigate with my Zoom. Because of my spasticity, we chose to install a fixed safety belt, which works perfectly.
Thank you, Zoomability, for doing everything to ensure I got my Zoom quickly, and for listening attentively and helping me find solutions tailored to my physical needs.
