The Full Story

Eureka! among the aubergines

When Mike Spencer realised his mobility scooter was too big to take into shops, he went home and came up with a solution

Electric scooters have made an enormous difference to people with mobility problems. But only the smallest ones are able to negotiate tight spaces in shops. That's when a wheelchair comes into its own.

Mike Spencer knows the problem only too well. The married father of four grown-up children, from HAGLEY in the West Midlands, has lived with MS for 15 years.

Over time, Mike has gradually lost the ability to walk unaided and, if he needs to get out and about, he relies on his electric scooter and wheelchair.

"One day I had to go to my village shop, so I took myself off on my scooter. Somehow I managed to nudge the fruit and vegetable display and sent oranges and aubergines everywhere - much to the amusement of the other shoppers (WHO HAD ALREADY SCATTERED OUT OF THE WAY). Although everyone was really good about it, and I smiled and thanked them for their help in sorting out the mess, inside I was bursting with frustration. When I got home I thought, 'I can't carry on like this'. I have to find a way of getting into the shops and manoeuvring without worrying about crashing into things."

Mike realised what he needed was a rack he could attach to the back of his scooter that would carry his wheelchair. "I thought there must be something already available, but I could not find anything anywhere INDEED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD."

So Mike set about making enquiries into how he could make his vision a reality. He got a prototype made with the help of Remap, charity which designs and manufactures one-offs for disabled people. Mike loved the result and thought that other people would feel the same. That was how he started up his own business.

Mike knows only too well how the loss of mobility and independence can affect self esteem. When he used to work for a bank, he travelled all over the United Kingdom, covering about 4,000 miles a month. A couple of years after Mike was diagnosed with MS, he was driving home when he begun to feel unwell. He pulled off the motorway to steady himself and the next moment he passed out. When he saw his doctor the next day, Mike was told he had a form of epilepsy and would not be able to drive a car again.

Mike had to give up his job, and for the next 12 years he wrestled with his new circumstances. His walking became more affected and he was beset by a spectrum of neurological problems. Despite eyesight, cognitive and bladder difficulties, Mike's philosophy has been characterised by an utmost refusal to lie back and accept what is happening. He became active in his local MS Society branch, edited its newsletter and indulged his passion for painting.

Mike believes his positive mental approach has benefited his health. "I think staying positive encourages the nerves to find new pathways away from myelin-damaged areas of the brain," he said. "One 'boost' leads to another, and I am completely convinced that unless I continuously use that positive force I would not be able to enjoy the life I now lead."

That is, of course, not to say that Mike has his low points. "But I also think that even in life's most negative situations it is possible to find positive outcomes (The aubergine expierience and then Eurika! is just one )."

Mike hopes his wheelchair rack invention (the Wheel-Link) already in production is just the first of many innovations that will make a positive impact on people living with disabilities. He already has plans for a special rubberised coating for the inner grip wheel of the wheelchair (Wheel-Easier) which will make pushing easier and more comfortable. The ideas are based on years of personal experience and are informed by the simple premise that people with disabilities are the real experts on the subject

Back out to the shops, where Mike's idea first took hold, and his wheelchair rack is attracting interest. "I have people stop me in the street and ask 'where did you get that from?' I see their quizzical looks as they watch me take my wheelchair off the scooter, as if to say: 'Good grief, just look at that!' It makes me feel marvellous in a way.

My invention has been seen on TV Midlands Today, and is supported by my M.P., and many others and I am also in discussions with British Rail and the Minister of Disability regarding the manufacture of safety bays for scooters at railway stations around the country."

With a disease like MS, you never know what's around the next corner. Mike doesn't airbrush the difficulties. "The mobility-thing could have gone either way," he said. "Quite frankly, I could have lied down a long time ago and said 'that's the end for me'. But my attitude is, 'I want to get out there. I can do it, I've got to. Life is worth living'."

There are times when MS makes being positive seem like a cruel joke, the very last thing on your mind. But, perhaps, if Mike's experience is anything to go by, that's when its potential benefits are greatest.

"Some people see the wheelchair and they feel sorry for me," he said. "But to me the wheelchair is marvellous. Its benefits outweigh the downsides. Now I see the world in a different way."

Visit Mike's web site www.ablequip.com to order the Wheel-link or to find out more.

In the Press

Article in the M.S. Matters Newsletter - November 2007

When Mike Spencer realised his mobility scooter was too big to take into small shops, he came up with his own solution. Anthony Stone investigates.

Mike Spencer knows how difficult it can be to negotiate a scooter in a tight space. The married father of four grown-up children, from Hagley in the West Midlands, has lived with MS for 15 years, and if he needs to get out and about, he relies on his electric scooter and wheelchair.

'One day I had to go to my village shop, so I took myself off on my scooter. Somehow, I managed to nudge the fruit and vegetable display and sent oranges and aubergines everywhere - much to the amusement of the other shoppers. Although everyone was really good about it, and I smiled and thanked them for their help in sorting out the mess, inside I was bursting with frustration. When I got home, I thought, "I can't carry on like this". I have to find a way of getting into the shops and manoeuvring without worrying about crashing into things.'

Mike realised what he needed was a rack he could attach to the back of his scooter that would carry his wheelchair. It was something of a Eureka moment, and he then set about making his vision a reality.

'I thought there must be something already available, but I could not find anything anywhere.' So he got a prototype made with the help of Remap, a charity that designs and manufactures one-offs for disabled people. Mike loved the result and thought that other people would feel the same. Which is how he started up his own business.

Mike knows only too well how the loss of mobility and independence can affect self-esteem. When he worked for a bank, he travelled all over the UK, covering about 4,000 miles a month. A couple of years after being diagnosed with MS, Mike was driving home when he began to feel unwell. He pulled off the motorway to steady himself and the next moment he passed out. When he saw his doctor the next day, Mike was told he had a form of epilepsy and would not be able to drive a car again.

Mike had to give up his job and, for the next 12 years, wrestled with his new circumstances. His walking became more affected and he was beset by a spectrum of neurological problems. Despite eyesight, cognitive and bladder difficulties, Mike's philosophy has been characterised by an utmost refusal to lie back and accept what is happening. He became active in his local MS Society branch, edited its newsletter and indulged his passion for painting.

Mike believes his upbeat mental approach has benefited his health: 'One "boost" leads to another, and 1 am completely convinced that unless I continuously use that positive force I would not be able to enjoy the life I now lead.' That is, of course, not to say that Mike's life has its low points. 'But,'he says, 'I also think that even in life's most negative situations it is possible to find positive outcomes.'

People with MS will have varying degrees of strength, mobility and balance, and no disability aid - wheelchair rack or otherwise - can be right for everyone. But seeing through his invention has given Mike a boost, and he has plans for more innovative products, based on the simple premise that people with disabilities are the real experts on the subject.

Back out at the shops, where Mike's idea first took hold, his wheelchair rack attracts the interest of passers-by: 'I have people stop me in the street and ask "where did you get that from?" I see their quizzical looks as they watch me take my wheelchair off the scooter, as if to say, "Good grief, just look at that!" It makes me feel marvellous in a way.'

With a disease like MS, you ne'ver know what's around the next cprner. Mike doesn't airbrush the difficulties. 'The mobility-thing could have gone either way,' he says. 'Quite frankly, I could have lain down a long time ago and said, "That's the end for me". But my attitude is: "I want to get out there. I can do it, I've got to. Life is worth living".'

There are times when MS makes being positive seem like a cruel joke, the very last thing on your mind. But, perhaps, if Mike's experience is anything to go by,that's when its potential benefits are greatest.

'Some people see the wheelchair and they feel sorry for me," he said. "But to me the wheelchair is marvellous. Its benefits outweigh the downsides. Now I see the world in a different way.' D

Mike on his scooter with his wheel-chair attached at the back

• For more information about
Mike Spencer's wheelchair rack,
go to www.ablequip.com

• The charity Remap provides one-off technical aids free of charge which help disabled people enjoy a better lifestyle. Its network of around 80 volunteer panels throughout the UK includes engineers, technicians, craftspeople and medical staff such as occupational therapists. Remap may be able to make something unique when the right product is unavailable through mainstream sources, or may be able to adapt something.

Telephone 0845 130 0456
for further information.
www.remap.org.uk

• There is a network of over 50 Disabled
Living Centres across the UK that can give you information and advice about products and equipment for easier living.

To find a centre near you, contact the charity, Assist UK.

Telephone 0870 770 2866.
www.assist-uk.org

Anthony Stone Article

In the press - Mike's bright idea for chair

report by Martyn Smith of Stourbridge News

A HAGLEY man has rolled out a bright idea for disabled people following an incident in the village shop.
Mike Spencer, from Meadowcroft, is launching a new product which will allow disabled people to take their wheelchairs with them when they venture out on mobility scooters.
Mike, aged 59, was inspired to design a fitting for his scooter after colliding with a vegetable display during a visit to the Hagley Spa shop, knocking oranges and tangerines everywhere. Customers still laughing though.

The collision helped Mike realise his scooter was too big for aisles and corridors in many buildings, which made them inaccessible to him if he was without his wheelchair.
Mike says if people can take their wheelchairs when they go out they will be able to negotiate smaller spaces, opening up greater opportinities for travel, shopping and visiting friends.
He said: "It should be so easy to put your wheelchair on the back of your scooter. It will help people, if they can get out more, they will feel well, and their health will improve tremendously."

After months of research and design, Mike has now patented his idea and set up a company to develop the system, which he calls Ablequip Ltd..
The business, which is set for launch this month, has already attracted the attention of BBC Midlands Today who recently featured Mike's invention on TV.
Hagley MP Julie Kirkbride is also keen on the product, which Mike says could improve quality of life for millions of people around the world.
Miss Kirkbride has pledged to lobby for facilities at railway stations to allow people to leave their scooters in secure sheds.
Secure parking would allow wheelchair users to take train trips without worrying about
leaving their scooters at stations while they use the railway.

Stourbridge News Article

Rolling out a new idea:
Mike Spencer with his revolutionary scooter adaption

I can go places again - and on my own !