We are delighted to share with you the contributions of Raoul and his parents. They sent us this beautiful e-mail from their home in Rheinfelden, Switzerland.
Our son Raoul is a 9 years old happy and curious boy; he was born with diplegic cerebral palsy, a GMFCS level III handicap. After having hip surgery in 2018, he can walk only with a reduction of his weight. Thanks to the Grillo, he has been able to get back up and start practicing walking in a very short time. We love the Grillo because it is easy and fast to handle; in addition, it does not slam your fingers when you lift it from the trunk and it’s lightweight, with easy opening and closing. Thanks to its rounded design, it is very ergonomic, it does not cause bruises when you bang against it, it doesn’t get trapped in the trunk or got stuck to furniture and clothes. Until now, we have never had such a multi-functional aid for either outdoor and indoor use. Raoul gets up and run with the Grillo for about 6 hours a day so we can integrate the daily therapy and minimize therapy sessions.
Raoul needs the Grillo also when he goes to the ranch to ride his pony Pablo. In fact, he can lead his pony by standing in the Grillo! When we go shopping, his Grillo allows him to move freely all around the shop. He can also pass through the checkout, bringing with him some delicious and unexpected whim. Since Raoul loves doing sports and swimming, with the Grillo we can reach the edge of the pool. He uses the Grillo also in the shower; we cover the arm supports and the seat with small plastic bags. So we can’t even think about Raoul and our daily life without the Grillo. We can just recommend it.
Raoul’s contribution:
I love my Grillo because it makes me feel free and able to look at my friends and classmates in the eyes, because we are at the same height. They know that I can run and keep up with them, also in sports. When we play soccer I am the goalkeeper, because I am quite good at it. I can go everywhere with Grillo. I use it for all those routes less than 1 km; I run longer distances, like the road to school, with my electrical tricycle. I always have moments for leg training in my daily routine. At school, I am always using the Grillo, so I can keep up with my mates. Sometimes, my assistant pulls me sideways in order to save energy. During gym class, I can do lots of ball games. Thanks to the gas spring, I can stand, sit or squat near the ground. That helps a lot. When I go shopping or on vacation, I can grab and see things at different heights, this couldn’t be possible on a wheelchair. It fits perfectly in the large trunk of our car because it folds easily.
