Wheelchair attachment changes Island woman's life

For Jessica Horsman of Charlottetown, there was no better way to celebrate the UN's International Day of Persons with Disabilities than to show off a new piece of equipment that's helped her become more independent.

Horsman, who is in her early twenties,was born with spina bifida and has been using a wheelchair since childhood.

It feels very freeing. Jessica Horsman

Recently, friends held a successfulonline fundraiser to come up with the money for an electric attachment called a handbike that adds power to her wheelchair.

"There's always people stopping to talk to me about it and ask questions and see what it's like," said Horsman, who believes she's the only one on the Island with a gadget like this.

She says she can travel faster and farther than ever before.

"I can drive on grass now, go long distances without stopping to rest my arms. I can take it anywhere I want to go," said Horsman.

"It feels very freeing."

Her friend Allan Clark organized the fundraiser, which took only five days to raise the $2,400 for the handbike.

"It was amazing, the smile on her face was just worth the work we put into it," he said.

"Seeing the stuff she was doing over the summer: getting to the Moncton Zoo, playing bocce ball, hearing about her tearing around Victoria Park, going to the store, it was worth every minute we put into it," Clark reflected.

How does that make her feel?

"Grateful, very grateful that there are so many nice people in the world who are willing to give their money away to nice charities like this," said Horsman.

Horsman and Clark said they would like to see more Islanders who use wheelchairs have access to this type of device.