Many succumb to defeat when faced with challenges in life. But there are also those who emerge stronger and confident, and prove that anything is possible with a bit of gumption. One such story of resilience and triumph is of Lisa Franks, a three-time Paralympian who suffered a spinal cord injury at the age of fourteen and has been living with it since. Those bleak times did render her discouraged, but not weak; giving her strength to transform her challenges into victories by becoming the most celebrated wheelchair athlete, and representing Canada at Paralympic games. But that is not all, she is conquering the road in her fully-customized wheelchair-accessible camper van.
Lisa’s incredible journey is a true paradigm of strength and fearlessness, where not even her spinal injury could dampen her adventurous spirit. Navigating van life, she designed her Ford transit high-roof van into an accessible home. Catering to her specific needs, her van home embodies the essence of being at home and allowing her to see the world.
The exterior of the wheelchair-accessible camper van home is super functional. With the help of super arm wheelchair lift, it is convenient for her to have her wheelchair lifted in and out, and it even takes up less space. She has a sliding door with a screen to keep the bugs away. Another outdoor feature is a shelf accessible from the outside as well as from the inside, and a fold down table where she enjoys her coffee and sometimes reads a book. She fastens the table with a belt that belongs to her father, a little piece of home that she carries along.
One of her absolute favorite part is the garage space at the back of the van home under her bed, where her sporty gear like bikes and paddles take up room. The electrical system and water system are carefully fitted in the space. She has a 2000 watt inverter, 200 amp hour of lithium batteries, 300 watts of solar on the roof, water tanks, and bike charger all cleverly integrated in the garage space so she never runs out of power and motivation when she is on the road. She accesses the inside of the van with a set of ramps, while her bike is smoothly pulls into the garage by a mounted winch.
For the love of outdoor cooking, there is an outdoor propane stove and a table to enjoy meals out in nature. She usually relies on campgrounds and gyms for bathing, but she does have a setup of shower inside her van’s garage space, where she takes a bath with a handheld shower. We are amazed, how much space efficient her garage is.
Let’s move on to a thoughtful interior that is functional with everything at arm’s length for her. In 130 square feet of living space, the first thing is the kitchen with a close-access from a wheelchair, a sink, and lowered cabinets, pull-down shelves for storing items like canned goods. Under-counter drawers with recessed drawer handles hold cutleries, plates and pots for easy maneuvering. For appliances, she has a pull-out cooktop, a chopping board, and a mini-refrigerator making cooking a hassle-free task. Her living space is designed so innovatively and spaciously to provide her a lot of floor space to move around back and forth, even do a full spin.
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Next to the kitchen is a convertible bench space with a toilet seat cut-out to fit a collapsible bucket under the toilet seat. There is a practical storage shelf for things like books that she accesses from inside and outside without a fuss. The bench has been engineered with a desk actuator that turns into an elevator with a push of a button and lifts her up to her bed. Her bedroom has a queen-size bed and lifts up with the help of actuators on all four corners.
The bedroom has plenty of cabinets for keeping her clothes organized. Integrated with roof vents and exhaust fans, the space feels open. As she can’t reach the fans, lights, and switches, she has everything remote controlled.
You must be wondering how she drives and moves around in her van. Well, for that matter she uses hand controls with lever system and a spinner knob on the wheels provides her with so much control over her driving.
Her wheelchair-accessible camper home is amazingly designed to cater to her specific needs, allowing her to explore the world despite her spinal injury. However, it is not only about being in a van and travelling, but a reminder for her to never give up in life and on the self and to keep exploring the unexplored.
We truly admire and respect her journey that empowers many out there who may have gone through similar tragedies in their life to go where their happiness lies. Lisa Franks is truly an inspiration!
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