Enabling the special needs community to live life

“Zebra” – A Reflection of Individuality, Community, and Strength

Zebra, the second painting in the series by Bendigo artist Michelle Loschiavo, is more than just a striking visual of one of nature’s most unique creatures. It’s a symbol of individuality, community, and the power of adaptability—values that resonate deeply with the work we do at Active Rehab. With its distinctive black-and-white stripes, this stunning piece reminds us that no two zebras are alike, just as no two individuals are the same. The beauty of our world lies in this diversity, and it’s a reminder that personalized support and community are essential for everyone to thrive.

The Power of Individuality

Zebras are known for their unique patterns—no two zebras have the same stripes. In much the same way, every person is unique, with their own needs, strengths, and aspirations. At Active Rehab, we understand that supporting individuals with disabilities requires a personalised approach. Like the zebra’s stripes, our clients’ needs are distinct, and we take pride in providing tailored assistive technology solutions that honor and celebrate their individuality. Whether it’s custom seating, specialised mobility equipment, or everyday aids, our goal is to create solutions that reflect the uniqueness of each client.

Community and Connection

Zebras are inherently social animals, often found in herds where they protect and support each other. This aspect of their nature is beautifully depicted in Michelle’s painting, and it reflects the sense of community we strive to foster at Active Rehab. The journey toward independence and a fulfilling life is rarely a solo effort—it’s a collaborative process that involves families, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and, of course, the individuals themselves. Like zebras banding together for strength, we believe that community and collaboration are key to providing the best care and support for those with disabilities.

Adaptability and Resilience

Another powerful theme embodied by the zebra is adaptability. In the wild, zebras must be resilient and adaptable to survive in changing environments. Similarly, at Active Rehab, we are constantly evolving our services and products to meet the diverse and shifting needs of our clients. We understand that disabilities vary, and so do the solutions. Our ability to provide flexible, innovative solutions—whether it’s a new mobility device or an updated version of a seating system—ensures that our clients can continue to thrive no matter what challenges arise.

Celebrating Artistic Expression

We extend our deepest thanks to Michelle Loschiavo for her remarkable artistry and dedication in bringing the zebra’s spirit to life through this painting. The vivid depiction of this majestic animal aligns perfectly with our philosophy of embracing diversity, fostering community, and promoting resilience. Each brushstroke conveys a message that speaks to the heart of what we do at Active Rehab: providing personalized, adaptive solutions for people with disabilities so that they can lead fuller, more independent lives.

Experience the Painting

We’re excited to announce that Zebra, along with Butterfly in Spring, is now on display at our Bendigo showroom. If you’re in the area, we invite you to come and experience these powerful works of art in person. They not only showcase Michelle’s incredible talent but also serve as reminders of the values we hold.

You can also follow the artistic process behind Zebra by visiting Michelle’s website and YouTube channel. Watching the piece come to life offers insight into the careful thought and creativity that went into making this painting a true reflection of the themes it represents.

At first glance, Butterfly in Spring is a stunning portrayal of the Monarch butterfly, gracefully interacting with a vibrant garden in full bloom. However, beyond the visual beauty of the piece lies a deeper message about growth, connection, and the importance of nurturing one’s environment. Painted by Bendigo artist Michelle Loschiavo, this artwork captures the intricate relationship between the Monarch butterfly and the flowers that provide it with sustenance and shelter. It is a perfect reminder of the powerful impact a supportive environment can have on the journey to independence and fulfillment.

A Symbol of Transformation

The Monarch butterfly is widely known for its remarkable metamorphosis, transforming from a tiny caterpillar into a majestic, winged creature. This journey is a powerful symbol of change and growth—qualities that resonate deeply with the work we do at Active Rehab. As we provide assistive technology solutions to children and adults with disabilities, we are reminded that each person’s journey is unique, and with the right support, individuals can achieve their full potential. The butterfly’s transformation mirrors the progress our clients make when empowered with the resources and tools they need to thrive.

 

Nature’s Interdependence

In Butterfly in Spring, Michelle illustrates how the Monarch’s survival depends on its environment, particularly the flowers that offer essential habitat and food sources. This interdependence is similar to the relationships we cultivate at Active Rehab. Just as the flowers sustain the butterfly, we provide the assistive technology that helps sustain and improve the lives of those with disabilities. From custom seating solutions to powered mobility devices, our products are designed to meet the individual needs of each client, enabling them to flourish in their daily lives.

Flourishing Together

The connection between the Monarch and its environment also highlights the importance of community—a value that is central to our mission. By working closely with our clients, families, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, we foster a community where everyone can contribute and grow together. The Monarch butterfly doesn’t just thrive on its own; it relies on the ecosystem around it, much like how we rely on strong partnerships and collaborations to provide the best care and support for our clients.

Artistic Vision and Acknowledgment

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Michelle Loschiavo for bringing this breathtaking vision to life. Her ability to weave together the beauty of nature with the themes of resilience and growth aligns perfectly with the work we do at Active Rehab. Each brushstroke in Butterfly in Spring tells a story of transformation, connection, and hope—values that drive our commitment to empowering individuals with disabilities.

Visit the Display

If you’re in the Bendigo area, we invite you to come and see Butterfly in Spring for yourself. The painting, along with Michelle’s other artwork, is currently on display in our Bendigo showroom. It serves as a beautiful reminder of the impact that care, support, and the right resources can have on the lives of those we serve.

Be sure to visit Michelle’s website and YouTube channel, where you can watch the full creative process behind Butterfly in Spring. It’s a fascinating journey into the artistry and meaning that went into this incredible piece.

Butterfly in Spring is not just a painting—it’s a celebration of the resilience and strength of both nature and humanity. Just as the Monarch butterfly finds its wings with the help of the flowers, individuals with disabilities can find independence and fulfillment with the right support. At Active Rehab, we’re proud to play a part in helping people realize their full potential.

Welcome to the vibrant world of Colour My Wheels—a company dedicated to transforming wheelchair accessories with a burst of color and joy! The journey of Colour My Wheels began with a simple yet powerful mission: to bring happiness and individuality into the lives of wheelchair users. Inspired by her mum’s experience in a wheelchair and Aged Care, Jo decided to create bright and cheerful accessories that not only uplift spirits but also spark meaningful conversations.

Wheelchair users are not defined by their mobility aids; they are teachers, fashionistas, athletes, and adventurers! At Colour My Wheels, they believe that wheelchairs should reflect the vibrant personalities of those who use them. That’s why they’ve made it their mission to offer a range of colorful wheel covers, or spoke guards, infused with captivating art and surface design.

Jo and her team are thrilled to collaborate with incredible Australian artists who share their excitement for this project. Together, they’re bringing captivating artwork to life on wheel covers, adding a touch of creativity and individuality to each wheelchair. But their commitment goes beyond aesthetics.

They’ve carefully sourced polypropylene material, proudly made in Australia, that is recyclable. They are also continuously searching for products that are even more sustainable and eco-friendly. As they continue on this exciting journey, they’re exploring the possibility of using Ocean Plastic in their production process. By doing so, they hope to contribute to the preservation of our oceans while creating beautiful and meaningful accessories.

And that’s not all! Colour My Wheels offers custom designs, allowing you to upload your chosen artwork and create personalized wheel covers. Imagine the joy of showcasing your favorite image on your wheelchair, turning heads wherever you go!

Join Colour My Wheels in celebrating diversity, self-expression, and the power of color. Let’s bring a kaleidoscope of happiness to the world of wheelchairs, one cover at a time.

Make sure you check out their details:

W: https://colourmywheels.com.au/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/colourmywheels/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/colourmywheels/

Michelle Loschiavo, a talented Bendigo-based artist, has long used art as a source of comfort and expression throughout her life. Born with spina bifida, Michelle faced numerous surgeries and challenges from a young age, which significantly impacted her education, mental health, and social connections. However, one constant remained: her love for art.

Art has always been a refuge for Michelle, allowing her to momentarily escape from the challenges she faced.

From early school days to her year 10 work experience at a florist, where she discovered a passion for floral arrangements, Michelle found joy in the creative process. After finishing school, she pursued art classes through Continuing Education, which ignited her artistic journey. Her participation in the TAD Project (Talented Artist with Disabilities Project) and SMART Art classes provided her with a sense of belonging and community, surrounded by like-minded individuals who shared her passion.

Michelle’s artistic skills truly blossomed during her time at TAFE in the early 2000s, where she spent over five years refining her techniques and gaining confidence in her abilities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Michelle took her art online, starting her own YouTube channel to share process videos and timelapses, ensuring her work continued to reach an audience despite the lack of physical exhibitions.

Specialising in hyperrealism and surrealism, Michelle’s work often focuses on flora, fauna, and pet portraits, with oils, acrylics, coloured pencils, and airbrush being her mediums of choice. One of her standout pieces, Butterfly Kisses, a coloured pencil drawing with an airbrushed background, beautifully captures the delicate balance between a large horse and a small butterfly, symbolising the harmony between strength and fragility.

Michelle’s life in a wheelchair has presented its own set of challenges, particularly before acquiring a specialized chair with an elevation function. This new chair has greatly improved her independence, allowing her to reach items on high shelves and work on large paintings without straining her back.

Now, with the support of DONUT Studios, Michelle is focused on building her audience on social media and YouTube, continuing to share her unique artistic perspective with the world. Her journey is a testament to the power of art as a means of expression, healing, and connection, inspiring others to find their own creative path.

Want to learn more about her work, check out her youtube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@artbymichelleloschiavo

There is nothing the team at Active Rehab love more than helping our clients reach their full potential, giving them the independence they deserve, and seeing the difference we can make in their lives.

Felix and Isabella are two very energetic, and fun-loving siblings who live near Williamstown in Victoria. Life isn’t always easy for the family as the two siblings tire quickly and can’t walk long distances due to the medical condition they both have. Felix and Isabella needed some new wheels to help them get around and become more independent.

The team at Active Rehab understand it can be challenging choosing a wheelchair with so many factors to take into consideration. The siblings needed lightweight chairs that folded small to be able to fit into mum and dad’s cars. After trialing a range of different chairs with Active Rehab the conclusion was reached that the Zippie Xcape was the perfect solution. Felix and Isabella were able to customise their chairs by picking different colours for their frames, Felix opting for ‘candy red’ and Isabella selecting ‘Hot sparkle pink’ with a ‘Candy purple’ cross brace.

Felix and Isabella gave us the special opportunity to capture them living life in their new wheelchairs. As you can see in the photos, they sure don’t let anything stop them…There is a lesson for all of us on positivity, resilience, and overcoming to be learnt from these two action packed siblings💕

We thank Country Vic OT for sharing Nicole’s story below:

This is Nicole. She is a 39 year old lady with cerebral palsy. She lives in supported accommodation with some of the most dedicated and caring support workers (Cooinda Terang).

I received a referral for Nicole to assess her appropriateness for a self controlled powered wheelchair. As well as being predominantly paralysed in all four limbs with severe contractures, Nicole is non verbal and has limited movement in her head and hands and primarily uses her eyes to communicate- which isn’t overly effective. It was difficult to assess Nicole’s cognition and to determine her ability to self drive a powered wheelchair- trial was the only way to know.

The first photo is the hire wheelchair she was in on my first visit. Sad is an understatement (look at her head position).

With the help of the ever so knowledgeable and willing Kelvin from Active Rehab in Bendigo (Life Beyond the Norm), she is in her new wheelchair which NDIS approved and funded ($26000).

It might look like just another wheelchair to the naked eye but if you look closely it has all been customised for Nicole including a cushion which has leg cut outs to accomodate her severe leg discrepancy and a back rest which supports her scoliosis and assists with further contractures.

This wheelchair has not only helped Nicole with mobility but it has given her more function and independence than was ever predicted.She now takes herself to her room when she’s tired. She takes her washing to the laundry. She ventures out in the yard when SHE wants to. AND she is now mostly continent as she takes herself to the bathroom door when she needs to go.

Shared with consent.

This wheelchair has enhanced Nicole’s communication, her mobility, her independence, her dignity and her right to live a meaningful life.

My name is Iain and I live in the Northeast of Scotland.

I was born in Stornoway at Lewis Hospital in 1963, and in 1966, when I was three and a half years old, I contracted Cerebral Palsy (CP) following a severe bout of Asian Influenza during the pandemic of that virus in the mid-1960s.

During that time, Asian Influenza swept across Britain with lightning speed. Certain areas of the country were more severely affected than others.

It is not uncommon for a young child to be diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy as a direct result of severe brain trauma, and an extended high fever can cause such trauma.

Up until then I was able to walk and run, and I spoke unimpaired. I was like every other able-bodied child of that age.

No doubt I was a well-behaved saint!

I attended a ‘special school’ as it was called for my education. In those days, disabled children, irrespective of their mental ability, went to what was blatantly referred to as a ‘special school.’

Looking back on the education expectations for ‘special’ children in the 1970s, I don’t think the academic bar was set very high, and as a result, the scholastic expectations of the pupils was quite limited.

This is the sad part, in my opinion, for anyone with special needs who grew up in that era, or who faces a similar situation today. Academic prowess wasn’t seen as very important, but it is! Every child of every ability should be motivated and challenged to learn whatever they can, to explore their interests, and to achieve without limitations so they can excel to the fullest extent of their ability.

Because of my limited early education, I can state unequivocally that my academic achievements are due to my determination and wanting something more than a simple education.

I am not critical of the teachers who did their best for their students, as we represented a wide range of cognitive abilities. They worked in an old-fashioned environment that limited what they could do as teachers.

All children should be encouraged to achieve their potential. Every child should be encouraged to achieve academically whether they are a child with disabilities or an able-bodied child.

 

 

Parents of children who suffer from Cerebral Palsy, or young adults who have the condition, must insist on the best, or at least equal, educational opportunities for their child as other children receive. Parents, be your child’s strongest and best advocate! No one will ever love your child more than you do. Be tireless in your pursuit, just as my wonderful parents were.

Everyone has the right to achieve and be whatever they want to be. I am not saying everything will be easy, because I know from lived experience that it won’t be.

I am not writing this because it sounds nice or heroic or politically correct, but because I was a child with Cerebral Palsy.

I realised at a relatively young age that a good education and academic qualifications were key to my future.

In the 1970s, when I was being educated, old-fashioned views of disabled children and the standard of educational achievement they should be “allowed” to attain was not given much thought or importance. Education was entrenched by the so-called professionals who thought they knew best because they read it in one of their outdated books.

When I passed my driving test, I began the process of re-educating myself. I joined an Adult Basic Education (ABE) class to gain the basics which I lacked. Do not be scared to start learning the basics as a good grasp of the fundamentals is essential, particularly in mathematics. While attending ABE classes I attended, as a mature student, a fifth-year class at one of the High Schools to study English. After leaving ABE a couple years later, I enrolled for a number of courses at the Further Education College. The courses ranged from biology to mathematics, and were held during the day and on certain weeknights. I wanted to get as varied an education as possible because the educational opportunities afforded to me in my younger years had been very limited. I had an insatiable hunger to learn more about anything and everything. I took a First Aid course three times over nine years. The first course was to become certified. Then, I had to renew my certificate every three years. It was a sight to behold watching me fall out of my wheelchair to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a dummy, but in nine years, the only casualty I ever treated was myself! I was certainly gaining a lot of educational variety in the courses I studied. To be honest, I’m not sure if I’ve ever used some of my knowledge. For example, I learned calculus and have never found I needed that knowledge.

In 1991 I joined the Open University (OU), and thirty years later I am still an OU addict. Every student had to study at least one foundation course as part of their degree, so I studied the science foundation course titled Voyage of Discovery (S102). The science foundation course covers four of the sciences: biology, physics, chemistry and Earth science.

I enjoyed studying the sciences, but decided to study biology in greater depth, particularly human biology and specifically neuroscience: the study of the human brain.

The OU now has a Visual Online Platform where students meet, chat, attend tutorials and deal with any other OU business. This means I can do everything from the comfort of my home without bothering about transport and access. Online education opens the door for all students, no matter their ability, and removes all barriers to getting an education.

I still have the total determination and passion to fulfil my academic potential and dream. I just applied to study for my PhD with the OU.

My message to anyone would be to follow your dreams and achieve what you want.

I did it, and you can too!

The path won’t be easy, and you won’t get opportunities handed to you on a plate (I never did anyway!), and you might have to create your own opportunities, but if you are determined enough, as I was, you will succeed. This is true for everyone, isn’t it, able-bodied or not. We make our own luck, as the old saying goes.

For this reason, I have great respect for The Open University: they provide disabled people the opportunity to achieve their true potential in their own accessible environment so that they can compete with the best of the best in just about any field.

Thursday, 15th June, 2017, will be forever embedded in my brain as the day my life changed. I never could have imagined to what extent. The day started as every other day, but it would prove to be anything but an ordinary day. I would end the day lying in Intensive Care in an Aberdeen hospital with a ventilating tube down my throat.

Getting up that morning did go wrong, and now I must live my life as a severely disabled person. I have lost my cherished independence and am unable to do anything for myself physically. I must rely on carers to look after me. I cannot drive anymore, and that is the hardest pill I’ve had to swallow, as I loved driving and foolishly thought I would always be able to drive. It is natural to think if only… but life is full of ‘if only’ moments, and nothing will ever change the fact that I cannot do as much for myself now as I could before. This is the here and now, and whether I like it or not, that’s how things are. I must play the hand I’m dealt. That is exactly what I have decided to do and not sit around wallowing in self-pity. It is much better to carry on being ambitious and achieving things.

My brainpower has not been affected in any way. I am still as sharp thinking as I ever was, probably even sharper.

Boy, that’s scary!

I did not suddenly become academic overnight. It took years of dedication and commitment, and I am not going to sit back and do nothing just because I need help with the mundane tasks of daily living. Who doesn’t want a little help with those anyway?! My dream of earning a doctorate degree is going to happen. That’s a no-brainer as far as I am concerned. My accident has robbed me of many things, but ambition and pushing the boundaries are not amongst them. I have not lost any of my sheer determination to accomplish what I set my mind to. Sit back and watch others achieve things while I do nothing? Not a chance! I am here to make my mark in the world as long as I have breath in my body. Becoming a published author is yet another notch, and I also hope to motivate and inspire my readers to set the bar high for themselves too, no matter their ability or disability.

My published books are: ‘10 seconds That Changed My Life & Wheels Galore! Adaptive Cars, Wheelchairs, and a Vibrant Daily Life with Cerebral Palsy by Iain M MacLeod.’ Both books are available as an eBook, Paperback, Hardcover and Audiobook from Amazon and other book retailers.

If bookshops, or other outlets, want to sell my book they can purchase they using the ipage system. Copies, hardback and paperback, can be purchased at a 50% wholesale discount through Ingram’s iPage ordering system.

Cherish each day and live it to the fullest extent possible. Every moment is precious, and not to be wasted. Life is for living, not waiting to live. You can do more than you ever dreamed possible. I believe in you!

Iain.

Website: https://www.wheelsgalore.scot/ or https://www.wheelsgalore.com/