Wheelchair malfunctions leaving B.C. woman in dangerous situations, but province won't fund replacement
She’s crossing a busy Vancouver street, and suddenly her motorized wheelchair stops working.
She’s in traffic. She’s stressed. And she’s been left in a dangerous situation.
Tessa Schmidt, who has cerebral palsy, is entirely dependant on her wheelchair to get around.
“Without the wheelchair, I am incapable of leaving my house, of transferring on and off the toilet, of going to the bathroom,” she explained in an interview with CTV News.
But Schmidt, 30, said the wheelchair has broken down dozens of times since she received it a couple years ago. The chair was funded through B.C.’s Social Development and Poverty Reduction Ministry.
“It stalled out in my bathroom, leaving me unable to leave the bathroom until I could get someone to come and help,” she said. “It’s also stalled out on buses, leaving me unable to get off the bus and leaving the bus driver unable to help me because it’s not within their mandate.”
She said the incidents leave her “in a state of panic and distress.”
Danielle Main works with Tessa training guide dogs at Leash of Hope.
“I have seen Tessa in many dangerous situations because of this chair,” Main said.
Main, who describes herself as “low-vision blind,” said she’s had to help Schmidt on more than one occasion.
“We’ve been in these precarious situations where I’ve had to literally fold up my cane and have her give me vocal cue instructions on how to push her back to safety, sometimes crossing streets, with this 550-pound wheelchair,” she said.
Schmidt wants the ministry to provide her with a new chair.
Instead, she was recently sent a letter saying repairs are a result of “misuse.”
“You are using your chair…to train service dogs, driving it over rougher terrain and sandy areas while hanging items from joystick and/or the swing-away arms,” the letter read.
It goes on to say that if “the misuse continues…the ministry may not fund the repairs.”
Schmidt denies abusing the chair, saying her dog training work is almost exclusively done on paved areas and that the only thing she hangs from the chair are her keys.
“The damage that has occurred to this chair is usual wear and tear of a heavy user,” she said.
Main agrees.
“She’s ended up with a lemon piece of equipment and their response is too bad, so sad,” Main said.
CTV News contacted the ministry responsible. In a statement, the ministry said it couldn’t get into specifics because of privacy concerns.
“Generally, the ministry provides wheelchairs for ministry clients, and covers the costs of repairs when a wheelchair is deemed medically essential to achieve or maintain basic mobility,” the statement reads. “The ministry will be reaching out to this individual to try to resolve their concerns.”
For Schmidt, the only way to resolve her concerns is with a new chair – but the ministry’s earlier letter said she’s not eligible until 2026.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Millions of cyberattacks per hour as B.C. government investigates multiple breaches
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
New 'Lord of the Rings' film coming in 2026
The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly US$6 billion blockbuster 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films.