Sandra Zahn hasn't added a story.
Hello! I’m Sandra if you didn’t know that and I’m a #Zebra. What started with #asthma & #respiratoryinfections ended up as #immunedeficiency. And want to be mobile again! I remember a friend once told me not to walk so fast.
I have asthma and was forced to make a drastic life change and my breathing is under more control. Now I can hardly walk to the refrigerator due to pain. I was looking forward to walking my dogs, I have 2 Irish Setters, they love hearing how pretty they are on walks. My male Mickey has been so much help. He helps me get around my house.
I also have 2 cats Charlie and Zeus. Zeus is a Sphinx Elf and loves to cuddle, he feels like warm raw leather. I’m a jewelry designer, ceramist, I actually love all art. I have an adult son, he works in television and has won many awards. My husband is wonderful. We’ve been married 37 years and he’s been very patient with my life change. We used to enjoy the outdoors, nature hiking or making day trips exploring out of the way places. I miss going to art and music festivals. I was always in the move. You just don’t realize how mobility is until you lose the ease of it.
I have Primary Immunodeficiency, specifically
Hypogammaglobulinemia. I acquired it due to nearly constant
treatment of respiratory infections. It has caused degenerative
joint disease, especially my lower spine and myopathy along with
fibromyalgia. Walking more than a few yards is very painful for me.
I have a wheelchair but it so difficult to get that around due to
it’s weight. Both with a wheelchair or the scooters provided by
stores everything’s out of reach.
I’m moving to The Ozarks, closer to my sister and would love
to explore the area with her. My niece has a baby and I look forward
to going to Farmers Markets to be at eye level on an Alinker instead
of being in a wheel chair. There are beautiful nature trails, along
with everything Branson has to offer. With an Alinker there'd be no
worries about my wheelchair batteries dying while out enjoying the day.
I never expected to ask for donations for something for me
personally, but when you can no longer work all of your savings
don't last. No one ever expects that a loss of mobility can happen
to them, it is life changing and can happen to anyone. Your savings
don't last as far as you think they will, especially when medical
bills for a mystery illness is on your shoulders. I always donated
what I could, when I could. Now I am asking for help so I can be
mobile 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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