Meet Angela Piazza, a loving mom of two and crochet lover who lives with Cerebral Palsy. Angela loves music, listening to podcasts, being outdoors, and traveling. Back in 2019, she was named Ms. Wheelchair California! She’s a real Californian who enjoys exploring her hometown with her service dog, Plum.
Angela was the last recipient of the Motion Composites’ Wishes for Wheels Program in 2020, right before the world shut down because of COVID-19. She received an APEX C, and it has been her wheelchair ever since.
Motion Composites’ Wishes for Wheels Program is a quarterly initiative dedicated to gifting lightweight, high-performance wheelchairs to individuals who could benefit significantly from having an ultralightweight custom-fitted wheelchair but who, for one reason or another, cannot have one.
With the Wishes for Wheels Program being revamped and relaunched, we couldn’t miss the opportunity to meet with Angela to ask her about her participation in the Program and learn more about her experience with her APEX C.
Interview:
Angela Piazza: I applied in 2019 and received the news that I would be the recipient of the Wishes for Wheels Program in January 2020. I was SO EXCITED when they called me to give me the great news!
The main reason I applied was because I needed a wheelchair that was made for specifically for me, that would be ultralightweight, and that would allow me to have the freedom that my old wheelchair was taking away from me. I was living with a wheelchair that was too heavy; it was a folding wheelchair that weighed 32 pounds. That weight was taking a huge toll on me, my hips, my back, and on my energy. In the span of a year, I would be on the couch without being able to continue with my life for at least 3 months because my back was being thrown out that much.
I am an active member of my community. I needed something that would allow me to move around easily and regain my independence to do everything I wanted – my APEX C did just that!
AP: Only because of COVID. You see, after receiving the news that I was the recipient of the Wishes for Wheels Program in January, I kept in contact with people from Motion Composites. Then in February 2020, during the Abilities Expo L.A. I got measured to start preparing my wheelchair. The only unforeseen thing that made it long to receive my wheelchair was that the world shut down only 2 weeks after the Abilities Expo due to COVID-19. This caused my second appointment for measuring to take longer than expected, and the production delays also lasted longer. Still, that was the reality back then.
The rest of the process was very easy. I filled out my application and told my story, and I was contacted just a few months later. Talking to the people of Motion Composites at the L.A. Abilities Expo in 2020 was also nice and easy; everyone was super friendly!
AP: It is super lightweight, comes apart easily for car transfers, and is very sturdy. I tend to be a bit rougher on my wheelchairs than some other wheelchair users, and my APEX C has proven that it is always durable and reliable.
Now that I am also part of Ms. Wheelchair America, I travel quite a bit. With my APEX C, I can move around more safely and travel without worrying if I will have the energy to do so, or if I will be struggling with my back. I LOVE traveling with my APEX C. I take it apart, and the only part the airline gets is the frame; everything else can go with me in the cabin. This makes it nicer and more accessible to travel.
It gives me the freedom to go places so that I can continue doing all the community work I do and have an active social life. I can go out with my friends, go to concerts and downtown easily!
AP: How lightweight it is, of course, but I also feel safe in it. You have no idea how many times the anti-tippers have saved me (laughs)!
AP: I am SO glad you have brought back this wonderful program. In the United States, our medical programs only cover the bare minimum for our specific disabilities. Without a program like Wishes for Wheels, we could not access a custom-fitted, ultralightweight wheelchair!
I would encourage anyone who has a similar story to mine and thinks that they could benefit from an ultralightweight wheelchair to apply. It is easy, and the impact on your day-to-day life if you get selected is HUGE! I am so thankful for my wheelchair; I know I would not be able to do everything I do without my APEX C.
We want to thank Angela for taking the time to meet with us and share her experience with the Wishes for Wheels Program and her APEX C. Make sure to follow Angela on her social media (Facebook, Instagram) and don't hesitate to reach out to her if you are interested in learning more about Ms. Wheelchair California or Ms. Wheelchair America.
If you are interested in learning more about the Wishes for Wheels Program, consult our dedicated page by clicking here.
