International Wheelchair Day - 1st March

British man Steve Wilkinson (Wheelchair Steve) was born with Spina Bifida.

Spina Bifida is a birth defect that occurs when the spine and spinal cord don’t form properly, thus resulting in having to use a wheelchair for most of his life. Steve is a self-confessed ‘can-do‘ man and grew up dreaming of making a difference in other people’s lives. Therefore, in 2008, Steve founded International Wheelchair Day.

International Wheelchair Day – 1st March

15 years have passed, yet every year since International Wheelchair Day has been celebrated on the 1st March. International Wheelchair Day aims to:

To enable wheelchair users to celebrate the positive impact their wheelchair has had on their own lives.
Celebrate the fantastic work that the millions across the globe who provide wheelchairs, support, and care for wheelchair users.
Recognize those that make the world a better and more accessible place for those that require wheelchairs for mobility.
Acknowledge the fact there are many tens of millions of people in the world who need an appropriate wheelchair but do not have access to one.

Steve went on to found the network “Wheelchair Ambassadors”, a community of wheelchair users, family members, and caregivers to help others find accessible locations around the globe that meet users’ needs.

Brief History

According to the Wheelchair Foundation.org, “The earliest records of ‘wheeled furniture’ was an inscription found on a stone slate in China and a child’s bed depicted in a frieze on a Greek vase, both dating back to the 6th century BC”… that’s around 27 centuries of support! However, our earliest well-documented examples start appearing from 1595AD, with an unknown inventor creating one for King Philip of Spain (1527-98) for his severe case of gout.

Over the following centuries, the wheelchair further evolved. During this evolution, key inventors include:

1655: Paraplegic clock-maker Stephan Farfler, with the first self-propelled wheelchair.
1783: John Dawson, with the ‘Bath Chair’ named after the town of Bath.
1930’s: Harry Jennings and Herbert Everest, with the commercially successful folding ‘X-frame’ wheelchair

Ever since the 1930’s design, and much like our own kettle, different materials and adaptions have been made to suit various user needs.

Famous Wheelchair Users

History has blessed us with an endless amount of accomplished and field-elite wheelchair users. Recognise any of the names below?

Professor Stephen Hawking – Theoretical physicist and cosmologist.
F.D. Roosevelt – 32nd President of the United States.
Christopher Reeve – Actor, best known for his role as Superman.
Sue Austin – British artist.
Zach Anner – American comedian.
Aaron “Wheels” Fotheringham – Extreme wheelchair athlete.

Assistive Technology

ldy pouring water from uccello kettle into tea cup

Technological advancements have been critical to suit our ever-changing assistive needs. With assistance from wheelchairs in 600BC to Siri in 2021AD, new technology is changing lives.

Similarly. the Uccello Kettle is a product that fused your standard heavy kettle with assistive technology to create a simple, safe, easy-pour kettle. To learn more about the Uccello Kettle, visit uccellodesigns.com.au.