NDIS: Laura gets her first new wheelchair in two decades

The Toowoomba woman is one of the first people in the region to have their National Disability Insurance Scheme plan approved, which means a new wheelchair.

LAURA Scurr has been in the same wheelchair for 22 years.

"For me, that's like wearing the same shoes every day - but if my wheelchair ever breaks down, I can't go down and the road and get a new one," she said.

The Toowoomba businesswoman is one of the first people in the region to have their National Disability Insurance Scheme plan approved, which means a new chair.

Ms Scurr, who has cerebral palsy, met with State Disability Services Minister Coralee O'Rourke at the service provider CPL's Toowoomba office today.

Coralee O'Rourke, Minister for Disability Services, Minister for Seniors and Minister Assisting the Premier on North Queensland (left) with Laura Scurr. Laura will get a new wheel chair through NDIS replacing one that is 20 years old. January 2017. Picture: Bev Lacey

She said a new wheelchair, along with at least 10 fully-funded physiotherapy sessions a year to reduce knee pain, would give her a chance to improve her consultancy business and greatly improve her quality of life.

"This wheelchair is more than 22-years-old. It's not in the best shape at the moment and now I have funding to buy a new wheelchair," she said.

"I would've been happy to get money for the wheelchair, but the fact that I can now attend a more realistic number of physio sessions is exciting.

"I get a lot of pain in my knees, so that will be my first focus of my physio sessions. It will enable me to continue to do the things I do."

Sharon Boyce (left) with Coralee O'Rourke MP who is in Toowoomba for discussion regarding NDIS. January 24, 2017. Picture: Bev Lacey

Toowoomba disability advocate Sharon Boyce, who advises Ms O'Rourke on the scheme, said quality of life was a new aspect of the NDIS funding.

"It's not just about the dollars, it's about the lived life," she said.

"They might have the dream of going fishing on a dam, and they're in a wheelchair, so how do they do that?

"In the past it became about how many dollars are needed to get people out of bed, fed and showered.

"We've got to take those glasses off and look at the lived life and what a person's dreams are."

CPL regional manager Nicole Windridge said the service provider had already completed several interviews with people like Laura to help them get their plans approved.

Originally published as NDIS: Laura gets her first new wheelchair in two decades