OTD Program Receives Refurbished Pediatric Wheelchair from Pendleton Prison

The HU OTD program has partnered with Joni & Friends International Disability Center since 2014, sending teams of students and therapists to developing countries to provide seating and mobility services. The process begins with the donation of a wheelchair, walker, or cane from a family or facility in the U.S. The equipment is often donated as the original user has outgrown the device or has passed away, provided as a gift in their honor. Once donated, mobility devices are refurbished by inmates in participating prisons domestically prior to being shipped to various countries around the world for distribution.

This past week, OTD students Kylie Huesman, Mary Kirkland, Chelsie Teutsch, Jamie Luong, and Melissa Alexander traveled to Pendleton Prison in Pendleton, Indiana, to drop off a load of donated mobility equipment. Along with faculty chaperones Patricia Henton and Nate Short, students were given a tour of the wheelchair shop and the process by which chairs are restored. Participating inmates first break down all components for thorough inspection and cleaning, rebuilding the chair piece by piece. New upholstery and parts are added where needed, restoring the chair as close as possible to original condition. Several inmates commented on the opportunity to give back to their community and impact individuals with disabilities around the world through their service.
The team was also blessed to receive a pediatric chair which was refurbished specifically for the OTD program. The chair, a specialty Quickie pediatric chair, is ideal for training purposes and given as a long-term loan to the OTD program. Future teams serving in Guatemala and Peru will be oriented and trained with the chair prior to serving in-country, providing a foundational level of knowledge prior to working in the clinic.
The message of redemption is evident throughout this program which restores mobility equipment, teaches men a productive trade, trains future occupational therapists, and provides mobility for individuals with disabilities around the world along with the message of the Gospel!