If you live in or near Invermere, British Columbia, there’s a good chance you know Kate Gibbs. Between her out-and-about lifestyle, trademark high-back powerchair astutely outfitted with a hi-vis vest and her outgoing personality, she’s hard to miss.
“It’s a pretty small town, though it’s getting bigger now,” Kate admits. “What I love is that everywhere I go, everyone knows me and I can’t go downtown without someone saying hi. I get a lot of encouragement for what I’m doing and there’s always help when I need it; what it lacks in services, it more than makes up for in kindness.”
Born with cerebral palsy (CP), Kate has never let her condition slow her down. Instead, given Kate’s determined spirit and tireless passion for advocacy, one could easily believe she doesn’t even sleep but keeps going like the Energizer Bunny, 24/7/365.
When Kate graduated from College of the Rockies with a Human Service Worker Diploma in 2017, it was just the beginning. She immediately invested herself in community service work, participating in workshops for people with disabilities and visiting high schools to give talks on the importance of inclusion. In 2020, Kate joined the Board of Inclusion BC focusing on advocacy for individuals with disabilities and was soon named Vice President representing BC’s interior region.
Kootenay Columbia Home Medical Equipment (KCHME) has been working with Kate since 2005 when we supplied her with a pediatric Bugzi Seat. Over the years, we have provided Kate with a variety of devices including walkers, grab bars, bathroom safety devices and several wheelchairs including a Quickie Rythm, Pride Q6 Edge, Quantum Rival and, most recently, an Alltrack R3.
Kate’s fourth powerchair, we carefully decided on the Alltrack R3 because it ideally suited her active lifestyle and would better help her safely navigate the hills and mountains in her hometown of Invermere.
“I feel pretty spoiled,” admits Kate when asked about her Alltrack R3. “It goes over bumps and obstacles so well. And not only does it offer all-terrain performance, but it conforms to my body contour perfectly. Due to my CP, I have high muscle tone and my new wheelchair helps me to relax in ways I couldn’t before. I honestly love my wheelchair and still can’t get over the fact that I can just hop in my Alltrack and go anywhere.”
As a hybrid-drive chair, the R3 combines the manoeuverability of a mid-wheel drive with the rugged outdoor functionality of a real-wheel drive. We even outfitted Kate’s new chair with oversized drive wheels to add better traction on softer surfaces like snow, grass and dirt – given that there are few sidewalks in Invermere. Kate doesn’t drive and local bus service is limited so she uses her powerchair year-round to get around; if you live in Invermere or are passing through, you may even see Kate out and about with her signature hi-vis vest wrapped around her chair.
Kate has already crafted a minor legacy in the Invermere region: a Dodge Caravan featuring a rear-access wheelchair accessibility conversion that she has donated to the community. The story begins shortly after Kate got her first power wheelchair and was looking forward to going to camp that summer. Her family applied for a vehicle adaptation grant through a local children’s charity, and the day it was accepted was a big day.
“I remember I got a cake and my family made a big deal out if it,” Kate recalls.
Once Kate no longer needed the Caravan just for herself, she donated it to a local society so other wheelchair users in the region could reserve the van for medical appointments or even make trips for social engagements. The van is still on the road today, helping others.
Thanks to Kate’s long list of advocacy work and her public persona, she has already logged a disproportionately long number of miles along her journey with CP for her age. With her experience comes an elder’s wisdom.
“Challenges will always come up in life but that’s the same for everyone,” Kate offers. “That’s what makes life interesting. My advice to others with mobility challenges is to just be kind. Most people want to help those of us with disabilities, but they might not know how. If someone is being kind to you, trying their best however they know how, just be kind back and enjoy the kindness they’re showing you in whatever shape and form. Everyone comes in a different package and I’ve learned to appreciate them all.”
At KCHME, we understand that everyone’s mobility journey, needs and expectations is a different package, too. Contact us online or call your closest store location to book a private consultation session. We look forward to finding a mobility solution as unique as you are.