Invacare Supply Wheelchairs for Canadian Paralympic Committee

November 5, 2012

In a bid to make sports more accessible for Canadians with a disability, the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) has announced a new, four-year corporate partnership with Invacare Canada, a leading manufacturer of wheelchairs for both everyday use and competitive sports.

As an official supplier to the CPC, Invacare will supply equipment to CPC’s Para-Equipment Fund, which awards grants and equipment to local, provincial and national sports organizations. Invacare will supply wheelchairs for such sports as wheelchair tennis, wheelchair basketball, and athletics; as well as hand cycles.

“It can be prohibitively expensive for kids with a disability to get involved in sport, and that’s something we are committed to changing,” said Henry Storgaard, CEO of the Canadian Paralympic Committee. “This partnership will help nurture the hopes and dreams of more kids with disabilities, allowing them to participate and be active through Invacare’s product lines – and maybe even one day compete for Canada at the Paralympic Games.”

“We at Invacare Canada are thrilled to be working with the CPC,” said Vince Morelli, General Manager, Invacare Canada. “This relationship will allow us to work towards our goal of making life’s experiences possible – whether providing opportunities for young people with disabilities to enjoy a healthy lifestyle or supporting the achievements of our outstanding group of elite Canadian Paralympic athletes competing at multi-sport Games.”

Josh Vander Vies, a Paralympic bronze medallist in boccia, was on hand for the announcement at Variety Village in Scarborough, Ont. and applauded the news of the partnership.

“For 10 years, I’ve had an Invacare chair,” said Vander Vies, originally from Sarnia, Ont., now living in Vancouver. “Invacare are leaders in Canada in terms of performance equipment. This performance factor gives me the confidence that I need on the boccia court to make the high stakes shots.”