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Phoenix Coolbaugh hasn't added a story.
I'm Phoenix, I'm a 35 year old non-binary trans person with
physical disabilities that limit my mobility.
About 11 years ago, my chronic pain, took a turn for the worst.
I started developing other symptoms including numbness and
dizziness/vertigo and between the pain and the new symptoms, my
mobility started to decrease. My doctor ruled out some things but
couldn't find a source, and frankly, she just gave up looking at
that point.
Over the years, I've seen many doctors, as my symptoms progress
and those doctors can't figure it out and give up with my mobility
decreasing more and more as time goes on.
My newest doctor has given me a provisional diagnosis of
arthralgia as well as agreeing that I have Ehler's Danlos Syndrome.
The source of the dizziness is being worked on by neurologists and
ENTs so I'm hoping we can find an answer but, for now, my mobility
has decreased so profoundly that I can't even perform my basic care
needs without a wheelchair or a lot of help.
I was an active person before all of this happened. I have 5
kids and with my older kids, I was able to run around and climb on
the playground structures with them, this is something my younger
kids have never experienced. I used to walk anywhere I could and as
a teen, I used to run our school track for fun when I was a kid. I
didn't participate on any teams but I'd hang out on the track and
just run because I enjoyed it.
I spent my childhood in trees or climbing on anything I could. I
was very active up until I couldn't be.
I was working as a CNA and trained as a birth doula before my
mobility worsened even more and I had to abandon such physically
demanding work.
I know my previous level of activity is something I can never
achieve again but using a wheelchair does further limit me by
slowing me down and making it harder to reach things. I'm often
exhausted from wheeling my chair so I don't use it anymore than I
need to, so I don't go for "walks" anymore and I feel like
the Alinker could give me that back by taking the strain of wheeling
myself off of my arms as well as allowing me to be more active than
I can be right now.
I recently found that there's a wolf sanctuary near me where you
can go walk the trails and pet tamed wolves. I cried when I read
that the path is not accessible for wheelchair users and that you'd
need to be able to keep up with the group. Depending on the trail,
if it's flat enough, the Alinker could possibly make this dream a
reality for me. If not, it could at least give me the ability to be
"walking" around outside and enjoying the outdoors like I
used to.
In 2011, I went to NYC with my husband and we spent the day
walking all over the place. I climbed up on a very large rock in
Central Park and took photos and climbed up into a weirdly shaped
tree for a picture. When I first moved to Seattle, I spent a lot of
time walking around the city, admittedly having to take breaks often
but still ultimately being able to explore. I currently can't do
anything like that today and while the Alinker isn't going to get me
up onto big rocks or trees, it could make walks through Seattle
possible again and will make future PRIDE events something I can
still enjoy now that my mobility has been effected.
My biggest goal though is to be able to be active with my kids.
I can't go on walks with them, places like zoos and museums just
aren't the same in a wheelchair. I want to be active in my kids'
lives as much as I'm able to and I hope the Alinker can help me achieve that.
Please help me fund an Alinker so I can feel more like myself again.
The campaigns are about sharing. Most people have no idea what life is like when you live with MS or what happens after you have a stroke. Isolation is often a bigger problem than the symptoms of the disease itself. With the campaigns we can share and educate people, because it can happen to all of us. When we create a movement where people simply show up for each other, it might get a bit ‘safer’ and less ‘scary’ to engage with each other. Some people share their experiences on their campaign, others share their funds to support the campaigns. It is not about asking for money, it is creating an opportunity for people to learn and show up with #generosity. Being generous resonates with who we are as humans. We understand generosity deeply and when you practice it, you feel so much better
PLEASE NOTE
- The campaigns are in USD $, and since to the pandemic the price increased from September onwards $2950 USD. This includes the Alinker, shipping, process and campaign fees and our #AlinkerFamily support.
- The campaigns are all or nothing, no credit cards are charged unless the campaign reaches its goal.
- As soon as the campaign reaches its goal, we ship an Alinker (from direct stock or you'll be placed in line, delivery 6-8 weeks).
- Campaigners do not handle money. On disability or welfare, you cannot handle money without being penalized, but you can receive an Alinker !
- When the campaign raises more than the goal, the campaigner can chose another campaign which we then make the donation to, paying it forward, or the balance will be placed in our Collective Campaign to help future campaigners.
- If you want to start a campaign and are outside Canada or the USA, write an email to stephanie@thealinker.com. We can potentially get a shipping quote to where you live, and include that in the campaign goal, though we like to keep shipping at a minimum, so we will not ship anywhere beyond $250 shipping costs.
Together we build a movement of kindness and generosity, because we all need it
Why do we facilitate crowdfunding on our site?
We believe that the Alinkers should be available for everybody, regardless of income and people who start a crowdfunding campaign here, will have access to a life changing Alinker. These crowdfunding campaigns are the first step to make Alinkers available for everybody. BE and the Alinker company are now putting their energy together to build a generous community around all the campaigners! The campaigners are people who allow others to show up generously, give them love!
Here is the Alinker segment as was aired on CBS Innovation Nation October 2019 - https://youtu.be/pk96VDkJ9NU
Why an Alinker?
Generally, medical devices are a technical solution for a body with a
problem.
The Alinker is designed for who we are, a whole human
being, who wants to live an active and engaged life. We are a human,
we have a body. Whether we miss a leg of have MS, it does not change
who we are.
Yet the world we live in, treats us as a body with a problem, which creates a social divide between people based on their body, based on what we have, not on who we are. Isolation and loneliness are more devastating than the disease itself. So we need to show up for each other, acknowledge each other and be present to who we are.
These campaigns are here to bridge the gap between a high quality custom Alinker, and the people who live at the receiving end of a 'sickcare' system that drives people into poverty.
So, show up, be radically generous, it is something we humans really
understand.
When you read each story in each campaign, pause and
imagine who that person is, and why they started the campaign, reach
out to them, let them know they are surrounded and seen, heard and not
alone. When we do that, we feel better and create a safer community
where we know we can show up for each other. It connects us with our
essence, we are radically generous creatures, we just got a little
lost in systems that are not designed for our wellness.
Alinkers change lives, here are a few people
GO TO CROWDFUND, WHY, HOW, START
Who is the Alinker for?
The Alinker is for people who want to stay active, regardless of mobility challenges.
To operate and use the Alinker you must have the ability to:
- walk to some degree
- flex and extend your legs
- bear weight on one leg briefly while getting on and off the Alinker
- be consciously aware of your surroundings
- be aware of your ability and limitations
What is the Alinker?
The Alinker is an exceptionally cool, three-wheeled walking bike
for humans with mobility constraints. It’s not a medical device,
it’s a lifestyle tool, designed to enable users to lead active and
socially engaged lives — at eye level.
On the Alinker, users sit upright -- at eye level with standing
companions. Weight is supported by the seat with no stress on the
lower body, while handle bars provide additional support. Feet remain
on the ground, keeping users stable and safe.
GO TO CROWDFUND, WHY, HOW, START
Together we'll make this work, in kindness and from the heart
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