The initiative “Go higher with wheels“ aims to help families with disabled children and young people to spend their holidays in the Aosta Valley mountains more easily.
A child’s severe disability has a strong impact on family life, and one of the most impactful limitation is on the holiday.
On holiday, the accomodations (hotel, campsite or apartment) must be fully accessible, and should offer some essential services (i.e. refrigerator to store artificial nutrition, a kitchen to prepare baby food, etc.). It is also important to find ‘disability friendly’ activities, that are in general poor.
Although the mountain is very often a cure-all for many diseases (thanks to the drier air compared to the plain, and the almost never scorching temperatures in summer), it is seen as an inaccessible place for those who have difficulty walking and are forced to move with the help of strollers and prams.
The Aosta Valley, land of Monte Bianco, Cervino and other Alps giants, has seen the birth of mountaineering. In the shadow of these peaks, the Aosta Valley is full of farm roads and other wide and unsteep trails, easily accessible by families with children.
Many of these paths can be walked with special “off-road” strollers, specifically designed for use by children and teens with disabilities. The association La Casa di Sabbia Onlus has already purchased one of these special “off-road” strollers that allows you to ride, even pulled by a mountain bike, the unpaved paths present in the Aosta Valley.
“Go higher with wheels“ initiative intends to:
- Identify accessible accommodations (hotels, campsites and apartments) and inform families;
- Compile a guide available online free of charge of accessible and already tested paths with an “off-road” stroller;
- The guide will be collaborative and therefore open to everyone’s contribution.
- In collaboration with the accomodations, provide families with “off-road” strollers available, eventually also with assisted driving;
- Offer nursing assistance to families, in order to carry out activities with their siblings while leaving the disabled child in safe hands (under our #abitoflive initiative).
We hope to be able to update you soon on this initiative!
Should you have any question, suggestion, or would you want to share with us your holiday experiences, as well as receive information about accessible accomodations in Aosta Valley, do not hesitate to contact us!
Should you want to help us with “Go higher with wheels“ initiative, you can donate through Paypal link. The main expense will be the purchase of strollers and their accessories suitable for disabled children an young people, with the intention to make as many special strollers available to reach the largest number of children / young with special needs.