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Have you ever thought to yourself
this is only a dream? Â
That you are going to wake up and all
of this would just disappear?
All of us struggle with something
in our lives that is life changing, that you wish you could change
or make go away.Â
This is mine and this is my story……
   After years of being passed
around from one doctor to another, thinking that all of this was
just in my head, I finally found someone who was willing to sit
and listen to me. Â She told me that she believes me and she
wouldn’t stop until we figured out what was going on.  The next
day I went in for a brain MRI and within hours I received a phone
call and I was in the doctors office the morning after.Â
 Â
I was told what we already knew. The lesions on my brain where
most likely Multiple Sclerosis. I wouldn’t get a definitive
diagnosis until a week later when I saw a specialist.Â
 Â
Everyone was waiting for a reaction.  I didn’t know how to react.
 I was relieved to know I wasn’t crazy, I was scared, angry, and
sad all at the same time. Â I was in denial. Â For a year I went
through all the motions. I went for all my scans, took new
medications, went for my infusions every month, but none of it
felt real. Â I pushed down every emotion so everyone would believe
strong and I was ok. I was ashamed of who I now was. I let
Multiple Sclerosis overcome me.
   I’m ready to take on the
disease and all that comes with it. I have accepted that my body
has limitations and I have to accommodate to them. I will not let
MS stop me from doing the things I love! To me my family is the
most important part of my life. Since I can no longer work and I’m
on disability I have more time to enjoy them. My two boys and my
nine nieces and nephews are my motivation to keep moving! They
bring me so much joy watching them in all their activities.
   As of late, MS has tried to keep me down but my goal is to stay moving to keep moving and be able to participate in everything life has to offer. I will not let MS take me down.
   Please help me give awareness
to MS, the Alinker bike, and how it can help people with mobility
issues have more confidence. Â Every donation counts! Help me reach
my goal and beyond to help others in their journey as well! A
share is just as important as a donation. So let’s get the word
out and help everyone meet their goals!Â
  Thank you for
going on this journey with me!! 🧡
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 betterÂ
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.Â
- 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.Â
- 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
Â
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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