Hi! My name is Lauren! I am a wife, mother to twin toddler boys, and have two rescue dogs and a very cranky feline. They all keep me on my toes... well at least as "on" my toes as I can be.
So why I'm here... I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at
the early age of 25. My husband and I had just gotten married and
one morning I woke up and was completely blind in my left eye. Surprise!
After being told by my GP that it was a migraine, I demanded more tests. That's when I found out I had Optical Neuritis, caused by Relapse Remitting Multiple Sclerosis. I was beyond terrified. The only reference to the disease was from my all time favorite TV show is West Wing. The main character, President Bartlett, had MS, and all I could think of was him when the doctors told me the news. I had no idea how this diagnosis would change my life and goals forever.
I was given several doses of IV steroids and luckily my vision eventually came back. I then started taking a disease modifying medication (I've been on three so far), and I've tried to live a healthier lifestyle, keeping as active as my body will let me.
Fast forward to now, I'm 32, a mother to twin toddler boys, and am finding my mobility to be dwindling. This doesn't exactly work well when you have two crazy active toddlers who just want to play with their mom. They will be four this month (August). They don't understand how playing outside drains me, how running around in the heat puts me not only in pain, but takes me days to recoup from. How do you explain to a 4 year old that Mommy's body is tired, that Mommy's legs don't want to work... that no matter how much she wants to go outside and go for walks and run around, her body says "Nope, not today".
Unless you have something like MS, it's really hard to understand what this kind of "tired" feels like. I read somewhere that it's like "being hit by a dump truck, having the worst hangover of your life, and having the flu, all at the same time, and all the while, they are simultaneously fighting against each other, making your mind and body feel like a complete wreck". And honestly, this is exactly what it feels like on a daily basis for me, but again, how do you explain that to a 4 year old? Heck, most adults can't comprehend what that feels like.
I desperately want to enjoy their lives with them without the constant burden of being exhausted from this disease. Being a mom who can do things with them is all I want. But I can't even walk around our farm without becoming exhausted. Going to the zoo, park or even going for a simple walk has become something I have to worry about, something I have to plan down to the T in case my feet go numb, my legs give out, or god forbid, I pass out because my body is saying "no". I want to enjoy MY life, which is something that I find becoming more and more difficult.
I want to see the outside without my body being exhausted after 5 minutes or having to forgo doing things all together because my body won't keep moving. I believe the Alinker can help me keep going. Where I can see the world with my husband and children and not be left behind.
Thank you for reading my story!
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 Canadian $ (back end requirement on our side), the $2800 CAD includes the Alinker, shipping, process and campaign fees and our 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.
- 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 where we then make the donation to, paying it forward, or get the balanced paid out, the choice is the campaigner's.
- If you want to start a campaign and are outside Canada or the USA, write an email to molly@thealinker.com. We can get a shipping quote to where you live, and include that in the campaign goal.
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. Did you see how happy Selma Blair is using her Alinker? Her anxiety dropped from level 10 to 2 after she got back on her new Alinker. She is so happy and so on with this new invention, that she wants to create a fund to get people access to Alinkers. These crowdfunding campaigns are the first step to make Alinkers available for everybody. Selma and BE 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!
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
us as a person.
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.
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.
