The Autonomi Story

January 09, 2019

Discovering a simple way to overcome physical disability is life changing.

My Father was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2009.  He had the primary growth removed, but the disease spread to his back and knee and by October 2015 he found himself confined to a wheelchair.   Coping with the disease and the treatment up to this point had been bad enough, and having to suffer the humiliation of being treated like a cripple started to get him down. We had to find a solution.

 Firstly, we tried a traditional electric wheelchair.  It was a tidy and nimble machine, but with the chair weighing 95kg it was impossible for Mum to lift it into the car or move around easily when not in use.  After months of searching, we came across the Autonomi Explorer. We read all we could find on it, and it seemed too good to be true, the wheelchair was:

• Lighter​ ​– 26.5kg (including batteries).
• Incredibly​ ​easy​ ​to​ ​use​ – with a reliable, easy-to-use 360-degree joystick with adjustable speed.
• Simply​ ​Compactable​ – five-second fold, simple to setup, easy to take with you in any transportation.
• Durable​ – solid, no-puncture tires and batteries that go for weeks on a single charge.
• Quiet​ ​– two 180W brushless motors (with plenty of power).
• Oh,​ ​and​ stylish– available in black, silver, red, pink, or blue.

Sceptical at first, we decided to give it a go. It turned out to be one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.  The innovative design and latest battery technology meant that not only was the chair more nimble and speedy but its light weight meant Mum could easily lift it into a car boot or fold it away when not in use. The constant check-ups at the hospital suddenly became so much easier, and Dad still loves driving through the corridors of the hospital smiling and waving as he glides past fellow wheelchair uses being pushed through the hallways.

 “Buying this wheelchair would be one of the best decisions I’ve made.  The ability to control ones movements isn’t something you value until you lose it, and Autonomi has helped me to rediscover my mobility.” Not only did the new chair make Dad less reliant on carers, but he loves finding new things he can do on it. When Flynn (first grandchild) was born, Dad could take him for rides one the wheelchair, and has started to teach him how to drive it!

And now Mum can always ask Dad to pop down to the dairy when they run out of milk.

Autonomi is a company with a real purpose to give others the same opportunity and enjoyment that we have benefited from. To learn more, go to our website at www.autonomi.co.nz or contact me at nathan@autonomi.co.nz and 021 517 948.