Husband and wife Chris and Mandy from Leighton Buzzard recently took delivery of their matching Eco Assist lightweight power add-ons, Mandy also has an Icon 30 FAF manual wheelchair, and all three items were supplied by Reading based Rehasense retailer Sun Mobility.

Chris has reduced mobility after damaging his spine in 2008 while Mandy’s is as a result of having mild Cerebral Palsy which was caused by contracting meningitis when she was five weeks old. “I have known Ian at Sun Mobility for over fifteen years and he has always offered excellent customer service” explained Mandy. Both Mandy and Chris had always found hills an issue in their wheelchairs along with the cobbled streets near where they lived as their wheels would often get caught in the gaps between the cobbles. They recently moved to a new house on a hill, so they decided the time had come to look for some extra help in negotiating these hills in their wheelchairs.

“We wanted to make our lives easier, so we went to see Ian at Sun Mobility, and he suggested the Rehasense Eco Assist for us both along with an Icon 30 FAF for Mandy as her wheelchair also needed replacing” explained Chris. The couple have now had their new Rehasense products for just over a year and love them. “Before the Eco Assist, I was using my wheelchair for most day-to-day activities such as shopping, visiting friends and the various sports I still enjoy such as javelin, discus, shot put and table tennis but it was a real challenge at times. Life is so much easier now thanks to the Eco Assist – it is just a brilliant piece of equipment and has made such a difference, we can negotiate hills and cobbled or uneven streets with no problem at all. But the main thing is just the independence we now have; we use the Eco Assist’s most days to be honest as we can now just head off out without worrying about hills or getting stuck between cobbles” continued Chris.

Mandy is equally happy with her new Rehasense combination and loves them both. I am so happy with my new wheelchair and Eco Assist; we both find it so easy to connect the Eco Assist to our wheelchair and it is really easy to control and manoeuvre. I am just as pleased with my new wheelchair, it is so comfortable and combined with the Eco Assist it is great and as Chris said, we just have so much more independence and confidence which is amazing. I would also like to say how excellent Ian is at Sun Mobility – nothing is ever too much trouble for him, and we would not hesitate in recommending Rehasense and Sun Mobility to anyone looking for a wheelchair and power add-on” concluded Mandy.

“It is great to hear such positive feedback from Chris and Mandy, not just about their Eco Assist’s and Mandy’s Icon 30 FAF but also the great service they have received from Ian at Sun Mobility. We are very careful when appointing any dealer as they are ultimately going to be representing our brand so to hear about a great customer experience Ian and the team at Sun Mobility gave to Chris and Mandy is fantastic” commented Jordan Day, Rehasense UK’s National Sales Manager.

Consisting of a high strength aluminium chassis, a 350-watt motor and 48-volt battery, the Eco Assist offers a very cost-effective solution for wheelchair users looking for an entry level power add-on to increase their independence. Weighing 15.5kg with the battery and just 9.4kg without, the Eco Assist is easy to transport and manually clamps onto the frame of the wheelchair and disconnects with ease in one simple movement – an automatic clamping version is also available. To ensure protection against the elements, all surfaces on the Eco Assist are powder coated and anodized. Available in a stylish black finish, the Eco Assist has a maximum speed of 20kph and can be charged from empty to full in 5 hours. The twist throttle control, central LED display on/off button and three speed modes are all housed within the handlebars while standard features include cruise control, anti-slip traction control, LED headlight and horn.

The Icon 30 FAF (Fixed Anterior Frame) is a self or attendant propelled lightweight manual wheelchair which is perfect for outdoor activities and is ideal wheelchair for the more active user as it is extremely stable. As demonstrated by Mandy, the Icon 30 FAF works brilliantly with the Rehasense Power Assisted Wheelchair Systems (PAWS) and can also be used with the Track Wheel front wheel attachment. With a folding aluminium frame and multiple adjustment options the Icon 30 FAF can be tailored to ensure it is the perfect fir for the user and standard features include drop down arm rests, fixed leg rests, safety belt and height adjustable foot plates.

For more information on the full range of mobility solutions available from Rehasense call 0333 220 0704 email [email protected] or visit www.rehasense.co.uk