Robyn works part-time as a delivery driver for a pharmacy in Surrey, delivering patients their medicine.

Robyn was a passenger in a serious car accident that broke her back and caused kyphoscoliosis of her spine and other soft tissue damage. Emergency surgery for an abdominal injury resulted in her spine healing in the wrong position. This causes her extreme difficulty standing or sitting upright for almost any length of time.

“I can not sit upright to drive now as it is too painful, so I must keep the seat very reclined to take pressure off my spine as well as keeping a heating element on my back almost constantly to help control the pain. Keeping the seat so far reclined causes me to have to almost fully extend my arms to drive which also causes pain and fatigue and has me craning my neck and shoulders forward to see, causing pain in my upper back as well,” she explains.

“There are very few jobs I can do anymore that permit me to be in a reclined position most of the day with a heat element on my back.”

She was referred to WorkBC Assistive Technology Services by her local WorkBC Centre.

Through WorkBC Assistive Technology Services, Robyn received funding for vehicle modifications, working with GF Strong Driver Rehab Services to install them in her vehicle.

“They have helped me tremendously. By having a steering wheel extension and arm rests installed it enables me to take a lot of pressure off my back as my arms can relax now without being almost fully extended like they were before. Also they have equipped my car with a cushion that supports my shoulders, head and neck so I don’t have to crane my neck forward anymore to see. They also had the back heat element replaced in my car as it was wearing out from overuse to help control the pain. And finally, a backup camera was installed as I have many deliveries in a day and am having to backup constantly in residential neighbourhoods.

“The disability supports have helped with the pain, fatigue and difficulty in doing my job due to the injury,” she says. “Having my vehicle modified to accommodate my disability has been invaluable as my job enables me to make ends meet. I honestly don’t know how I was managing before and don’t know how much longer I could have gone on like that.”

Robyn says she would “absolutely” recommend WorkBC Assistive Technology Services to others in need.

“I am so very appreciative for all the help they have given me.”

---

WorkBC Assistive Technology Services is operated by Neil Squire. Assistive Technology Services are available to individuals who have a work-related barrier due to a disability or a functional limitation. This may include barriers related to traveling to and from the workplace.

Questions about WorkBC Assistive Technology Services? Need help applying? Contact us: 1-844-453-5506 or info-ats@workbc.ca

Please visit www.workbc-ats.ca for more information about WorkBC Assistive Technology Services.

Tags: assistive technology, BC, WorkBC Assistive Technology Services