Mary is a 15 year old girl with intellectual disability. She had attended a Freedom Wheels assessment in 2017 and her dedicated family had been trying for 3 years to have the bike funded by NDIS. When the bike was rejected for the third time, Chain Reaction stepped in and funded the bike so Mary could finally get to ride like all of her friends. Her mother sent us this heartfelt thank you letter.
“I thought NDIS would fund a bike for Mary, but it didn’t. Solve sourced funding from Chain Reaction. I am still astounded at the generosity of people who don’t know my daughter, giving her the same opportunity to ride a bike as all typically developing children. The NDIS rejected funding applications for 3 years in a row for my 15 year old daughter to get a modified bike, despite her Occupational Therapist and the Solve OT recommending one.
The NDIS said a bike was a “normal purchase” but there is nothing “normal” about Mary’s beautiful bike. It has been customised to suit her specific needs. There was nothing “normal” about the way Solve found another funding source (Chain Reaction) so Mary could get her beautiful bike. There was nothing “normal” about the way the Solve staff and volunteers made sure the bike was just right. The only “normal” thing about the whole situation is the way it makes Mary feel. She’s just like all the other kids out on their bikes. We can’t thank you enough!”
