Campaign for a New Wheelchair Department
Opening the World, One Wheelchair at a Time
Goal: $1,000,000
More than a wheelchair
Imagine sitting in one position for most of the day. For many people who use a wheelchair, that is daily life. Their chair supports their body, gets them around, and lets them take part in the world.
A wheelchair built right means less pain, better breathing and better long-term health. It also means making a meal, going to work or school, and spending time with family and friends, with confidence and dignity.
Where your gift goes
Your monthly gift funds the work you’ve just been reading about — orientation and mobility training, physiotherapy and speech therapy, adaptive driving, day programs, summers at Camp Massawippi. As the official foundation of MAB-Mackay, Constance-Lethbridge, the Action Centre, and Camp Massawippi, Habilitas raises the funds; the four organizations turn them into care, every day.
Quebec’s busiest wheelchair department
The Constance-Lethbridge Rehabilitation Centre, part of the Lethbridge-Layton-Mackay Rehabilitation Centre, has served adults with physical disabilities since 1937. Its Wheelchair Department is the largest in the province.
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7,600+ wheelchairs created or repaired last year
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95 specialists and employees working with occupational therapists
- Service for Montreal, Laval and the South Shore, in English and French
- The only department that visits patients at home when they can’t come in
This isn’t mass production. Each chair is designed around the person: how they move, how they sit and how they live. It might include custom-cut cushions, tilt-and-recline controls, or a headrest-operated joystick.
“Even if two people may have the same diagnosis, their realities are very different. It’s through listening and empathy that I’m able to help give them a device that truly meets their needs.”
– Roxanne, Orthotics and Prosthetics Technician
The challenge: demand has outgrown the space
An aging population, more complex needs and a growing number of referrals from outside Montreal are pushing the department past its limits. There isn’t enough room to store frames, customize chairs or carry out repairs efficiently. When space is tight, wait times grow, and every extra day without the right wheelchair affects a person’s independence, comfort and health.
The project
The expansion will provide:
- 25%+ more production space and a redesigned workflow
- Larger, better-equipped workshops for customization and repairs
- Expanded delivery and inventory areas
- A new entrance and reception area that is bright, welcoming and accessible
The result: shorter wait times, more chairs and repairs delivered, and a better experience for patients and families from the first appointment to final delivery.
“My wheelchair, which I’ve named Rosie because she’s pink, completely changed my world… Now, I have the freedom to live my life again, to go grocery shopping, to take my children to the park. I can do things on my own.”
– Diane
Help create a department of small miracles
“The little details that seem trivial in our daily lives can make a huge difference in the life of a person with reduced mobility.”
– Nell, Positioning Technician
The Habilitas Foundation is leading this $1 million campaign. Your gift will help more people get the right wheelchair sooner.
ALL GIFTS WILL BE DOUBLED.
Every dollar you give will be matched, doubling your impact and helping more people access the wheelchairs they need to live independently.
For more information of this campaign, please contact Sean Zikman, Director of Philanthropy, at 514-488-0043 ext. 51410 or sean.zikman@habilitas.ca.