Road trips are a unique way to experience your country, from seeing the sights to experiencing local communities and cultures. But for CRT users, hitting the road often also means knowing what to do if your CRT equipment breaks down. 

Tip 4: Have a repair plan.

If your car breaks down during a road trip, getting it fixed is a matter of finding a good nearby mechanic—but that’s not the case for CRT equipment. 

“I wish I could say that fixing equipment worked like fixing cars,”says Brian Littlefield, an NSM assistive technology professional (ATP) in Bangor, Maine. “Ninety percent of the time insurance is involved, so there are lots of factors that have to be taken care of. The process takes time.” 

If something does go wrong while you’re traveling, Littlefield suggests: 

• Reach out to your home branch. Contact your ATP, customer service representative or technician and explain what’s going on with your equipment. They can help you locate a nearby NSM branch and connect you with professionals who can assess the problem. Consider calling the branch location first to check availability.
• Visit an NSM branch near your current location. Make sure to tell them your name, your home branch location and the ATP or person you work with in the service department there. Provide as much information about the problem as you can. 
• Have an evaluation. The professionals at the branch you’re visiting will assess your equipment and try to determine what is causing the problem. If it’s a simple adjustment and someone is available, they’ll work to help you out. If the repair isn’t a quick fix, they’ll get a quote for repairs and share all that information with your home branch. This allows your home branch to get the documentation process started before you get home. 
• Be patient. Staffing at locations can vary and the ATPs and technicians at the branch you’re visiting likely already have appointments scheduled for the day. You may have to wait a bit for an opening. 

“It’s never ideal when something isn’t working, especially when you’re traveling,” Littlefield says. “But let’s see if we can get your equipment back to a working condition for you to get home.” 

Looking for a branch near you? With a network of 200-plus locations across the U.S. and Canada, NSM is North America’s largest and most trusted provider of comprehensive mobility solutions including CRT, home and vehicle accessibility, and full-service maintenance and repair. To find a location near you, use our branch locator.

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Calvan Ferguson believes deeply in the power of a positive attitude. 

“I’ve been blessed in many different ways,” he says. “You name it, and I’ve probably experienced it. And it was probably a positive experience.” 

Calvan, a New York City native, has been cultivating that positive outlook since childhood. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a toddler, he’s used a wheelchair for most of his life. Growing up, Calvan says he often felt like a pioneer as his presence in the classroom often helped to educate other students about living with a disability.

“I went to elementary school in Manhattan,” he says. “Back then, you would have regular education and then what they called special ed, and that school kind of blurred the lines, so you had a lot of people being educated in the same classroom. It was such a beautiful thing because I didn’t feel alone.” 

That feeling didn’t continue into middle school, when Calvan felt excluded from class field trips that didn’t account for wheelchair users. 

“I don’t like to hold grudges, but there are some things that are hard to forget,” he says. “These field trips were designed for students who had an able, walking body and were not accessible, so I had to stay back and do extra work. Field trips are supposed to open up your horizons and inspire you, but unfortunately that’s sometimes what you get when you pioneer something.” 

Eventually, Calvan completed high school, but says his schooling was often interrupted by surgeries to treat his condition. It was after one of those surgeries—Calvan estimates he’s had about 10 over the course of his lifetime—that he met the woman who would become his wife, Jasmine, who was also recovering from surgery in the hospital. 

“She got discharged, and I thought, ‘I’m never going to see her again,’” Calvan recalled. “But she would call me and she would come on her free Saturdays to see me in the hospital. It really meant a lot to me because it defied everything I thought I knew about having a girlfriend or a wife.” 

Calvan and Jasmine, who also uses complex rehabilitation technology (CRT) equipment for mobility, have now been married for seven years and are the parents of two children. He describes their life together as “countless dates and getting on a lot of peoples’ nerves with accessibility.” 

“You know, life is hard,” Calvan says. “But it’s a little bit better if you have somebody to take the bumps with you.” 

These days, Jasmine works from home full-time, while Calvan is searching for a full-time job. For now, Calvan’s made it his job to look for employment, spending a significant amount of time each day looking for his next role. 

“I feel like I’m the busiest unemployed person in the world,” he says—and he’s not wrong. After helping get his kids ready for school, Calvan drops them off at school, often running errands like running to the supermarket or stopping at the pharmacy, before returning home to continue his job search. 

Around 2 p.m., Calvan is usually headed back to school to pick up his kids for the day, before returning home to work on homework, eat dinner and enjoy time together as a family. On Sundays, Calvan serves on the audio/visual team at his church, preparing microphones and monitoring sound levels for the church service. 

The Fergusons rely heavily on Access-A-Ride and public transportation to get around the city—their weekly trip to church involves two buses and a train—and Calvan hopes his family’s example creates greater visibility and appreciation for people living with disabilities. 

“This is the time,” he says. “Let’s get out of the house and get out on the streets. Let’s get on peoples’ nerves. Some people may feel inconvenienced [by people in wheelchairs] but you never know who you might inspire. As a parent, I get to show my kids what it really means to overcome obstacles. 

“So, whatever it is in your life that’s stopping you from growing or maturing, don’t let it stop you,” Calvan continues. “One day, you’ll look back and see how it made a difference, and that’s what I’m hoping to build: a world my kids can live and thrive in.”

To learn more about Calvan’s life, watch his “Day in My Life” video.

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As a CRT user, planning for a road trip also means developing of plan of action for any potential problems you might run into during your trip. Avid travelers Kerri Knudson and Chad Waligura offer advice about what to pack, tools that can make traveling easier and what to do if something goes wrong with your chair. 

Tip 3: Be prepared for problems. 

“I always travel with my shower chair,” Waligura says. “I never count on a roll-in shower. Always take your basic essentials, like cathing supplies, spare tubes for tires, a hand pump, some tools.” 

Waligura often takes solo road trips and says one of the problems he’s had to solve is how to get gas without help. 

“Sometimes gas pumps are raised up on a high curb that I can’t reach,” he says. “So sometimes, you have to wait and ask someone to help you.” 

Since sliding a card can be difficult for someone with limited mobility, Waligura relies on an assistive card gripper made by Abilitease Adaptive, that helps him pay at gas pumps as well as use key cards in hotels.

Problem-solving aside, Knudson and Waligura say the most important thing is to get out there and enjoy yourself. 

“Go with the flow if you’re going to travel a lot,” Waligura says. “Be able to talk with people and ask for help. Traveling is really fun, and it’s so empowering when you figure out how to do it. 

“There have been many times when I’ve asked myself ‘Do I not want to go because of my disability?’” Waligura continues. “And if the answer is yes then I have to go.”

“A lot of times, people with different abilities are afraid to try something they’ve never done or seen,” Knudson says. “But I can tell you that some of the best experiences of my life have been the moments where I’ve said, ‘OK, I’ll give it a try. I’ll go.’” 

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Road trips are a fun way to explore America, but for CRT users, they take planning and forethought. In the second installment of our Road Trip Ready series, CRT users Kerri Knudson and Chad Waligura talk about the importance of researching your destination, considering your transportation needs and having a plan in case of car trouble. 

Tip 2: Do your research. 

“I typically consider where I’m going to stay and what I want to do in advance, especially if I’m traveling somewhere I’ve never been before,” Knudson says. “If I don’t know the city well, I’ll do some research and look at photos. Do I see ramps? Am I seeing mostly cobblestone or smooth roads?” 

Since Knudson uses both a manual and a powerchair, knowing the type of terrain she’ll encounter on her trip helps determine what mobility equipment she brings with her. If she’s planning to use public transportation, Knudson investigates ahead of time to learn more. 

“When we’re planning a trip to New York, we use the subway,” Knudson says. “All of their stops have a handicap placard that lets you know if this is a wheelchair accessible stop or not. There are very clear signs in New York about where to go to find the accessible entrance to the subway. I look for those kinds of things in advance.” 

If you’re renting a vehicle, she recommends making your reservation as soon as possible and asking a few questions in advance. 

“I need hand controls in a rental car, and I can use my manual chair in a rental car no problem,” she says. “But it’s important to know what kind of car they use for their hand-control vehicles because of how I need to transfer and how many days in advance I need to schedule that.” 

That time frame differs according to the car rental company and the location, Knudson says, ranging from 24 hours at major locations to 48 hours or even a week’s notice. Best practice: make your reservation as early as possible. 

Waligura also suggests having a plan for car trouble or delays, such as having AAA or researching who can help in case of an issue, such as the Highway Patrol or other organizations as well as friends or acquaintances along your route. 

“I have friends scattered out across the country, so if I need something, I can call them,” he says.

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With summer coming to a close and back-to-school in full swing, many people are planning end-of-season road trips. From a cross-country trip to see family, a camping trip or a last-minute weekend getaway, a road trip offers fun, excitement and a break from the ordinary. 

But for complex rehabilitation technology (CRT) users, planning a successful road trip takes a little planning and forethought. For our Road Trip Ready series, we talked with a few CRT users who love to travel about the tips, tricks and advice they have for anyone planning to hit the road in coming days. 

For this series, we talked with a couple of frequent travelers who also happen to be CRT users as well as NSM assistive technology professional Brian Littlefield. 

Kerri Knudson: Originally from San Jose, California, Knudson now lives in Utah, which has been home for more than 15 years. She was born with arthrogryposis, a rare muscle disorder, which led her to find her adventures in a wheelchair. An avid traveler, Knudson shares her adventures on Instagram @get_a_grip_sis. 

Chad Waligura: Travel and the outdoors have been part of Chad Waligura’s life for as long as he can remember. Hunting, fishing and just enjoying nature have always been a part of his life, and that didn’t change after Waligura suffered a spinal cord injury when he was 17. Since then, he’s found ways to keep doing what he loves, including hunts across the U.S. as well as three different continents. He serves as one of the cohosts of “Able Outdoors,” a TV show devoted to helping people of all abilities hunt, fish and explore the outdoors. 

Brian Littlefield: Brian Littlefield is a certified assistive technology professional (ATP) and also holds the Certified Complex Rehabilitation Technology Supplier® (CRTS) designation. With more than 17 years of CRT industry experience, Littlefield has been with NSM for seven years, helping to develop mobility expansion branches in Maine. 

For our first installment, Kerri Knudson and Chad Waligura talked about the importance of planning ahead. 

Tip 1: Plan Your Stops. 

Spur-of-the-moment trips are great, but if you’re planning to stay in a hotel or need accessible rest stops along your route, it’s best to think ahead. That means making decisions about the vehicle you’ll take, where you’ll stay and when and where you’ll stop.

“[I approach a road trip] the same way I figured out how to fly somewhere alone: you carve it into steps and then do it,” says Chad Waligura, an avid outdoorsman and hunter who co-hosts “Able Outdoors,” a show that promotes enjoying the outdoors and hunting for people of all abilities. “If it’s a big trip, I plan to break it up into two days or more. And always get out of the vehicle for an hour for lunch.” 

Waligura knows the toll long hours in a vehicle can take on your skin, so he recommends always traveling with gel or memory foam cushion. 

Kerri Knudson, an NSM client and avid traveler, suggests doing a little research to find the best places to stop on your route before you leave. 

“I try to plan out my stops as best I can,” she says. “Where are the accessible bathrooms? If it’s a rest stop, not all rest stops have accessible bathrooms or they may be out of order. You want to make sure that you plan for stops that have multiple bathrooms so you’re not just counting on that one stall that may or may not be working.” 

It’s also important to plan ahead when it comes to hotels, Knudson and Waligura say. While Waligura enjoys living on the edge every once in a while—”Sometimes I see how far we get and then I’ll find a hotel an hour or so before we want to stop”—both say it’s helpful to make the decision about where you’re going to stay before you get to your destination. 

“I typically like to stay in places that are very central to what I want to see or do,” Knudson says. “That means looking for accessible rooms, but also calling multiple times to confirm and asking questions about needs you may have.” 

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It’s back-to-school season, and the transition from a relaxed summer schedule to the more structured school year is a struggle for any student. But for kids who are also complex rehabilitation technology (CRT) users, making that transition can take a bit more planning. 

We recently talked to Cristina Stanila, a Chicago-area mom, who’s hard at work prepping her soon-to-be 5-year-old, Matthew, for the upcoming school year. Matthew, who has a rare genetic disorder called Chromosome 8P and a number of related conditions, is in his third year of preschool and uses a wheelchair for mobility. 

Tips for A Successful Transition from Summer to School

• Transition slowly. Give your child time to adjust.
• Create a schedule that works best for your child and his or her needs. 
• Talk about upcoming changes so your child knows what to expect. 
• Keep bedtimes and wake-up times consistent throughout the year. 
• Practice with new equipment before the school year starts. 
• Talk to teachers and aides ahead of time about your child’s needs and equipment. 
• Get a back-to-school equipment tune-up. 

Matthew’s School Year Schedule

Matthew goes to preschool every weekday, but may leave a little early or get dropped off a little later, depending on his therapy appointments for the day. 

Knowing therapy—which for Matthew includes physical and occupational therapy, speech and feeding therapy, aqua therapy and more—and a full day of school can be exhausting, Matthew’s parents try to schedule his therapy early in the day. Matthew also completes several longer stints of intensive therapy throughout the school year, so he usually takes time away from school during these times. 

“During those times, he has between two to four hours of therapy per day,” she says. “Adding in school at that time would be too much for him.” 

Navigating Change

This year, Matthew will be attending a different school, with a new teacher and unfamiliar staff. Cristina feels a bit anxious about the change and worries about how it will affect Matthew. 

“He does like routine, and he loves people, but he loves people he knows,” she says. “It will be a struggle for him to get used to the new staff and the new school. We’ll probably start slowly to give him time to get used to it.” 

In addition to taking things slowly, Cristina also talks to Matthew about the upcoming changes, even though he doesn’t speak. 

“I tell him about the changes that are going to happen and how those changes might make him feel,” she says. “I assure him that I will make sure he’ll get the care he needs, even when he’s at school and about the new friends he’ll make and the new, exciting things he’ll learn.” 

Consistency really is key, Cristina says, which is why their family strives to keep Matthew’s bedtime and wake-up times the same during the summer and the school year. 

“The new schedule can be stressful enough, and the transition from a more relaxed schedule to a busy one can be tough,” she says. “That’s why I believe that keeping the same wake-up time and bedtime consistent is the first step to a successful start of the year.”

Creating an Optimal Learning Environment

If your child is using new equipment, Cristina suggests getting in a little practice before the school year starts. 

“Start using it in familiar environments and fun activities,” she says. 

The start of the school year is also a great time for a chair tune-up. Set up an appointment with your Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) to make sure the chair still fits your growing child well, Cristina advises. 

“I make sure the foot support is at the appropriate height for him and the same with the head support and chest strap,” she says. “Don’t forget to check if the tires need air.” 

Dennis Ponczek, the assistive technology professional (ATP) and branch manager who works with Cristina and Matthew, agrees, but encourages parents to schedule evaluations for growth adjustments sooner rather than later. 

“Many evaluating clinics are scheduled weeks in advance and the process to get new parts can take a couple of months,” he says. “So don’t wait until the week before school starts to schedule an evaluation.” 

Cristina also tries to make sure Matthew’s teachers have a baseline understanding of his mobility equipment and what to do if something breaks or isn’t working correctly. 

“I always tell the teachers or aides that if anything breaks or they’re struggling to unbuckle a belt to take him out, it’s best to call me,” she says. 

Above all, Cristina says that parents can be their child’s best advocate. 

“Your child has the same rights as everyone else,” she says. “They have to have access to the same areas as other children, and the school has to be accessible for all children.” 

To learn more, Cristina suggests reaching out to a Special Needs Advocate in your area who can help explain your rights and how to navigate any situations you may face. 

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NSM client Will Fargas takes us along for the day as he heads to work in Manhattan

For Will Fargas, most days start pretty early. 

Fargas, who works as a scheduler for outpatient therapy services at NYU Langone in Manhattan, works in the office three days a week, which means waking up around 4:30 or 5 a.m.

“I usually get up pretty early,” Fargas says, “and my aide helps me get ready for work in the morning.” 

By 6:30 a.m., Fargas is usually ready and waiting for his transportation to work. Most of the time, Fargas says he schedules a ride with Access-A-Ride in New York City, but there are times when it isn’t available. That means finding other ways to get to work, such as public transportation, which significantly lengthens Fargas’ 30-minute commute. 

This type of planning and troubleshooting is a big part of Fargas’ life, one he says people who don’t use complex rehabilitation technology (CRT) equipment or don’t know someone who does may not realize. 

“What time I get up depends on if I have a new person working with me or a veteran,” he says. “I always say that getting ready for work is my part-time job because I have to get up so early to get ready and get there. My shift doesn’t start until 9 a.m., but I’m usually up four to five hours before then.” 

Fargas works eight-hour shifts, whether he’s at home or at work, and usually orders something for lunch when he’s in the office. When he does leave the office for lunch, it takes planning and forethought—and time. Running out for a “quick” lunch or grabbing dinner after work aren’t always easy, when you’re juggling transportation and commutes. 

“With Access-A-Ride, it can take up to two hours on the average,” Fargas says. “If I’m home by 7 p.m., it’s planning what I’m going to eat—and if I have to prep or order food that takes more time. A lot of the time, I find myself eating something light for dinner, like a smoothie, especially if I get home late.” 

Fargas hopes that by giving the world a glimpse of his daily life—and all the planning and forethought that goes into it—helps start a deeper conversation. 

“I hope sharing a day in my life helps start the conversation about the importance of CRT,” he says. “I hope this is a beginning—seeing what someone goes through in one day.”

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With the 2024 Paralympic Games set to begin in Paris later this month, we recently chatted with a few National Seating & Mobility (NSM) clients who are at the top of their game in their respective sports. Read what they had to say about how they discovered their sports, what they love about the game and how they keep their chairs competition-ready.

Meet the Athletes

Josh Swoverland | Sport: Basketball

Fast Fact: His college wheelchair basketball team, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks recently won their 14th National Championship in 2024

Frank Goebel | Sport: Bowling

Fast Fact: Frank currently serves as the secretary for the American Wheelchair Bowling Association (AWBA). 

Maya Tisdale | Sport: Wheelchair Tennis

Fast Fact: Maya, 10, who doesn’t use a wheelchair full time, has been playing wheelchair tennis for about three years. 

Jason Fowler | Sports: Marathoner/Triathlete, Handcycling

Fast Fact: Jason is a two-time IronMan World Champion in the handcycle division

How did you get involved in your sport? 

Josh: I ran track starting at 9 years old around Avon. I completed my first half marathon at 10 in Indianapolis and picked up basketball at around 12 years old. I competed in both all through high school and went to the University of Illinois for track for two years, but it didn’t really work out for me that time. After that, I kind of took a break from all sports, then started playing basketball again for fun. I moved to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater last August, used my eligibility, and the first year here, we won a National Championship! 

Frank: I’m a lifelong bowler. I was a walking bowler for years, but I have a rare neuromuscular disorder that greatly affected  my walking stride. I got my first wheelchair about five years ago.

Maya: In my family, we love tennis. I just kind of got into it because of my brother and my mom and dad. I just really love being able to move and use my arms and legs. 

Ann Tisdale, Maya’s mom: We found a tennis pro in our area who had done an adaptive tennis clinic, and he did private lessons with Maya for a while. That’s how we got started. 

Jason:  After my accident, I was just looking for something to get active again. So, I borrowed a racing wheelchair from a friend of a friend and started doing road races, 5Ks and 5-milers and 10Ks. That put me into a group with other like-minded paraplegics, men and women, and it was the first time that I got to focus on what I could do and not what I couldn’t do. After about 10 years, I needed another challenge, and I saw that one of my childhood heroes who had a similar injury from motocross and dirt bike racing, David Bailey, had finished the Ironman, so that inspired me to go after that sport. 

What do you love about your sport? 

Maya: Sports can be for everybody. It’s good to get out of the house, move around and just be active. And it’s good to be around other people, especially if they have the same type of disability or situation as you do. 

Frank: I’m constantly meeting incredible, new people from all over the country. Bowling is a sport I can still do from my wheelchair and compete against other wheelchair bowlers and non-disabled bowlers. I didn’t have to quit any leagues just because I got a wheelchair, and all of my colleagues have embraced that. 

Josh: For me, a lot of it is competitiveness. I thought I could just play basketball again for fun, but I just had to have that competitiveness again. I really love the team aspect—the team bonding and the way everybody comes together for the same goal—I just haven’t been able to find that anywhere else. I love it. 

Jason: For me, my body feels better when I’m moving. When I’m competing and pushing my body, everything is better—I don’t put on weight, my skin is better, my emotional state, everything. 

Do you do anything special to keep your chair competition-ready? 

Many of the athletes in this article use special chairs designed specifically for sports, in addition to the wheelchairs they use on a daily basis. 

Josh: At the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, we have a graduate assistant who helps us a lot with chair maintenance. I’m 33 now so I’ve been doing this for a while. Maintaining your chair is important so you can keep up in the game. You wouldn’t go into a basketball game if the sole of your sneaker was falling off, so look at bolts, tires because you can slide if the tire is wearing out and make sure we have spare tires. Since we pop tires a pretty decent amount, we actually teach everyone how to change a tire. 

Jason: The good part about racing chairs, is that there aren’t a lot of moving parts. It’s really just the wheels and the tires, but really once you have it, it’s pretty easy to maintain. It does take a little time, though, to get it set up so that it’s comfortable, just like with your everyday chair. 

Maya: My parents make sure the tires are aired up and that everything’s set up and ready. 

Ann: One time we went to a sports camp and we forgot the back of Maya’s chair. We left it at home and we were about three hours away. Luckily, we were able to improvise and use something off of another chair, but we definitely haven’t made that mistake again! 

Frank: I use my existing chair, removing one armrest and the push rim from the wheel on my bowling side. Many wheelchair bowlers leave the push rim in place and bowl. There are other devices available to those who cannot grip a bowling ball normally.

What advice would you give someone looking to get into your sport? 

Josh: If you’re interested in a sport, go out and try it! We always want more people involved. For anybody with interest, check out sites online, watch videos on YouTube and reach out to athletes on social media. We can help you find somewhere to compete! 

Frank: Go to the American Wheelchair Bowling Association website (awba.org) and reach out to us. You can bowl at most bowling centers, and we offer regional and national tournaments. Most tournaments include a wheelchair bowling clinic, which give people a chance to try it for the first time or improve on what they’re doing. I’m a certified coach, one of several in the AWBA. 

Jason: You just have to jump in and start moving your body. It’s amazing how many resources are out there if you just search “wheelchair racing.” Once you start asking around, there’s always someone in your community who is doing it, and it’s just a matter of connecting with the right person. Even if you don’t have a racing chair, just start pushing, and you’ll find that when you treat your body well, you can handle a lot more than you think you can. 

Maya: Just have fun and try it out! Maybe you’ll like it or maybe not and that’s OK. But just have fun, try your best and do whatever you can do! 

Resources

Interested in learning more about  adaptive sports or other adaptive recreational activities? Check out these sites. 

• North American Wheelchair Basketball League
• American Wheelchair Bowling Association
• Ironman (Handcycle and Disability Division Policies)
• United States Tennis Association Accessible Play
• Challenged Athletes Foundation (grants for sports wheelchairs and equipment)
• Kelly Brush Foundation (grants for sports wheelchairs and equipment)

The Active Project (Find adaptive sports or recreational opportunities in your community)

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Diane Racicot, National Seating & Mobility Payer Relations Vice President, and Wayne Grau, Executive Director of NCART, offer a candid discussion on the hurdles faced by both providers and consumers, such as navigating complicated policies and dealing with insurance-related delays.

They emphasize the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain disruptions, and labor shortages on timely repairs. Through heartfelt insights, they underscore the necessity for better education, policy reform, and collaborative efforts among all stakeholders to enhance the repair system. By doing so this ensure that individuals relying on these essential technologies receive swift and effective support.

To learn more, please find the linked article found below.

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• Talk to the airline. “Talk to them when you buy your tickets and call them multiple times before your trip to remind them that you are traveling with a wheelchair,” Perkowski advises. “Get the names of everyone you speak to.” 
• Tape instructions to the wheelchair. Both Lengel and Morris suggest taping specific instructions to the wheelchair, specifically detailing any actions baggage handlers might need to take to load your chair onto the plane. Perkowski says to go one step further, especially if the chair belongs to a child. “Take a picture of your child and tape it to the chair or stroller with a sign on the chair that says, ‘My wheelchair is my legs.’”
• Remove any and everything you can. Wheels, joysticks, headrests, cushions. If it comes off the chair, take it off before your wheelchair is loaded into the cargo bay. 
• Document the condition of your equipment before and after your flight. Prior to getting on your flight, document the condition of your mobility equipment from every angle. When the wheelchair or device is returned to you following your flight, go through the process again, documenting any damage. “If something is wrong when you land, do not sign for a replacement at the airport,” Perkowski warns. “Make sure to tell the airline you want your original provider to evaluate the chair for damages as soon as they can to ensure nothing is missed.” 
• Drive your chair as far as you can. When it’s time to gate check your chair, talk to the people who will be handling it and explain any specific actions they should or shouldn’t take, like turning the chair on its side. “If you can watch them load your chair onto the plane, do it,” Perkowski recommends. 

To learn more or plan for an upcoming trip, permobil.com/travel-support.

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