car conversions
& equipment
a day in the life of Casey
A wheelchair access van provides
independence and freedom,
writes Casey Cherry.
I’m 30 years old and now live in
beautiful Noosa in Queensland.
I moved here from Melbourne
because the weather is better.
I can’t regulate my body
temperature due to my accident,
and the Sunshine Coast climate is
warmer and this lets me get out
and about more. In Melbourne I
would stay at home with the heater
on and watch TV most of the time.
It has been ten years ago this Park. We go exploring the area,
month since I started using a see dolphins and turtles or just sit
wheelchair after I crashed my dirt and watch the waves.
bike at a friend’s property near
Broken Hill. We were out riding and Often we’ll go on road trips in the
I fell off my bike. I landed wrong van and do a big trip to Broken Hill
and broke my neck with damage to twice a year. It takes about 24 hours.
C3, 4, 5, and 6 vertebrae. I am now We take the van to some pretty
classified as a C5 quadriplegic. remote areas, in one case we went
around 280 kilometres on dirt roads.
After the accident I purchased Occasionally, we drive down to a wheelchair access van from Melbourne which also takes about Automobility, with a manual ramp two days. The long trips are a bit that folds down in the back and a hard on my body, but the van makes docking station that my wheelchair the journey more comfortable. I’ve locks into. I sit as a passenger next had my wheelchair access van from to the driver and can see out the Automobility for ten years and it 24-hour emergency number and
front and side window. now has 157,000 kilometres on it. they worked with the local mechanic
to fix the van. Automobility even
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The van lets me get out of the Last September, on a trip to Broken fabricated replacement parts and
house. We go shopping, down Hill, we were driving on a rugged sent them up to the mechanic who
to the river, to the beach or to dirt road full of pot holes and installed them.
the marina. I can sit in the sun, corrugations. This trip we hit a big get some lunch and throw a line bump, broke something in the front The van means a lot to me, it gives
in, though I haven’t been very suspension of the van and it had to me the opportunity to get out and
successful when we go fishing. I be towed 200 kilometres to Broken about when I want and lets me go
love the beach and the National Hill. We contacted the Automobility where I want.
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