Leonard To Produce Affordable Physiotherapy Equipment For Paraplegics

By Santhia Panjanadan KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 17 (Bernama) – Leonard Chua Tze Yeu, a man who cheated death twice from two cardiac arrests, wants to live life to the fullest and help paraplegics like him by producing affordable physiotherapy equipment in 2013. Leonard, who is President of the Beyond Rehabilitation Wellness Centre, also aims to build a centre for the physically challenged to do light exercises and have a place to network. A tragic accident along the Federal Highway here six years ago left him with spinal cord injuries but his determination to live and make the best of his new lease on life has fired an ambition within himself to contribute to society, especially helping those facing the same plight as him. Sometime back, Leonard starting making physiotherapy equipment like the manual hand cycle and tilt table with the help of some volunteers and workers in his hometown in Malacca. But he stopped making them recently to concentrate on coming up with better designs which he hoped to produce in about a year from now. Tilt tables or standing frames assist persons who rely on wheelchairs for mobility as they provide alternative positioning to sitting in a wheelchair by supporting the person in the standing position. Hand cycles help paraplegics to have upper body exercises and help provide a great sense of freedom for persons with disabilities. "Today I'm sitting on a wheelchair but my spirit and soul are always standing. I am convinced that there is a reason why I was saved from death - to help others. I don't know when I will go (away) but with whatever time left, I want to help others. "I am looking at producing both the manual and hydraulic physiotherapy equipment. Usually the hydraulic tilt table in the hospitals costs about RM10,000 (US$1-Rm3.14) but we sold ours at RM3,500 each," said the 31-year old former Malaysia Airlines steward in an interview with Bernama Thursday. Leonard said his manually operated equipment were well received by those who bought them as they save them the trouble from having to go to hospitals for the periodic therapy. "When they buy their own equipment, they can exercise or have therapy daily rather than having to wait for their turn in hospitals for the once or twice a week sessions," he explained. Spinal cord injury patients, he said, ought to stand for about half an hour daily and the tilt table came in handy at home. "For me the satisfaction lies when people say "thanks" to me because my equipment had lightened their burden," he said with a glint in his eye. Leonard broke his neck, fractured his lower ribs, broke his right leg, crushed his left ankle and injured his bladder in the accident which left him paralysed from upper chest down. His hand movements were affected, and impaired his memory, vision and speech. "I lost my mathematic skills due to hypoxia caused by the two cardiac arrest. I "died" twice – this is my third life. "I once thought that there was no hope for my speech capability to return or for both my hands to function ever but my daily therapy, hope and determination didn't fail me," said Leonard, who was named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Malaysians (TOYM) for 2011 by the Junior Chamber International Malaysia in September. "Today, I can speak and both my hands are functioning. So, it is very important for people like me to have hope and move on," said Leonard, who will speak at a motivational seminar entitled,"In Pursuit of Excellence" at Holiday Villa in Subang Jaya on Nov 22 along with Dr Mani Jegathesan and Lawrence Chan. Meanwhile, the proposed rehabilitation centre will be the first of its kind in Malacca. It will be for disabled people, mainly those with spinal cord injuries, stroke and brain-injured patients. It proposes to charge a nominal fee of RM10 for about 200 patients and Leonard hopes that the government can also assist him and other paraplegics in Malacca. -- BERNAMA