Dreams in Motion: Gifted wheelchair ‘life-changing’ for Windsor teen

A Windsorite with Cerebral Palsy has been gifted a wheelchair to assist her through university. CTV Windsor’s Robert Lothian reports.

Dreams came true for Windsor’s Nicole Mercado on Wednesday afternoon when she received a new battery-powered wheelchair to replace her walker.

Smiling from ear to ear, Mercado, who has cerebral palsy, motored across the floor for the first time at Motion, a mobility and accessibility store on the city’s east side.

In surprise fashion, Mercado was presented with the Jazzy Ultra-Light Wheelchair by the Shine Foundation, which supports young persons living with severe physical disabilities.

Mercado, 19, was feeling “nervous and excited” to try out her new wheels.

Graduating high school this year, Mercado said she was told an electric chair may be needed when she starts classes at the University of Windsor this fall.

“Since I was young, walking is like my big problem and balance,” said Mercado, an aspiring English teacher.

Because even walking for five to 10 minutes at a time can leave her exhausted, she was worried about navigating campus.

“They told me campus is really big, so you need something to help you,” Mercado explained.

While it will help her make it to the classroom, the teen admitted she already has plans to use it in the community.

“I want to do more activities with my friends that I can’t do before, like going to the mall or shopping or something, then I can keep up with them with this,” she said.

For Lirio Mercado, Nicole’s mom, there has been concern about how she’ll navigate the university campus using her walker.

On an average day, Nicole uses a cane to get to her school bus before using the walker at school, her mom said.

“Now that she has a power wheelchair, oh my god, it’s really a big help for her – life-changing,” Lirio added.

Through Shine’s Dream program, Tiffany Houston, the foundation CEO, said they help meet the needs of kids across the country.

“Nicole had been really nervous about accessing her campus when she gets to university, so that’s where it came from,” Houston told CTV News.

Shine works with the clients to help customize the equipment to their needs.

“It’s as unique as the kid is,” Houston said.

The donation was made possible through partnerships with Motion and John McGivney Children’s Centre.