Hi, my name is Genna, I thank you for taking time out of your busy day to read my story. I was diagnosed with MS back in January of 2017. It all started with a diagnosis of H pylori and then a few months after that my entire left side of my body went numb from my chest down. I headed to urgent care where they immediately sent me to the hospital. 24 hours later I was diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis. Which is a disorder caused by inflammation of the spinal cord. I was treated with massive doses of steroids and spent a week in the hospital. I was sent home and continued to suffer with extreme exhaustion and pain. This was all March through December of 2016. In January of 2017 due to symptoms I already had and onset of new one's, my new neurologist suggested more MRI's. January 29th, 2017 she called me and stated I had more lesions in my brain and spine and that her official diagnosis was Multiple Sclerosis. MS is a disease in which the immune system eats away at the protective covering of the nerves.
I did ok for a while. I improved my diet, took no medications
and exercised. I always believed that lifestyle is greatly linked to
illness, even though I spent a large portion of my life doing the
opposite. Although it was far from perfect, I was managing. July of
2019 on a Saturday, after cleaning my home I started experiencing more
numbness, but this was from the waist down. In hindsight I should of
gone to the hospital but I hated to complain or ask for help. I always
felt I was a bother to doctors. So I messaged my doctor but didn't get
treatment until that Wednesday, when I finally told them how truly
petrified that I couldn't feel anything.
This episode was due to further lesions in my brain and a lesion
in my spine from T9 to T12. This has left me with permanent nerve
damage in my lower legs and feet. I suffer from muscle weakness,
difficulty walking, burning and tingling, poor balance and a slew of
other things. From this moment I really allowed my illness to take
over me. In a way I gave up. My health has slowly declined and I have
now suffer with breathing issues, gut health problems, painful sleep,
muscle and joint pain. Again, the list could go on.............but
this is where my new story begins.
I'm done, done with allowing this disease to take over not just
my body but my mind. I have started advocating vigorously for myself.
Not just with my MD doctors and traditional medicine but also with
alternative treatments. I still truly believe lifestyle and mental
health play a LARGE roll in illness. Since I started this new journey,
I have already seen a great change in my life. Although I still suffer
with pain and things that may never go away, I believe this journey is
going to bring amazing things.
Having a mobility device like the Alinker not only gives me the
opportunity to physically go out and exercise but it also gives me the
chance to be out in nature and part of society, which is another form
of treatment and healing. I want to continue to show my daughter how
to not just be a strong, independent woman but also how to get through
life when unexpected and uncontrollable things happen. I also want to
keep up with her and take her places and feel 100% present, without
thinking about how I'm going to struggle through the pain of walking.
I want to be part of a community where I can contribute to
breaking the stereotypes that comes with disability. I want to bring
awareness to it and help others to learn how to advocate for their own
health and healing. This is a new chapter and one I'm very excited about!
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
