Student In Wheelchair Plans To Hit The Road To raise Awareness

Thu, January 10, 2008
By JENNI DUNNING, SPECIAL TO SUN MEDIA

His electric wheelchair runs only 10 kilometres an hour, but Jeffrey Preston is determined to ride it from London to Ottawa in 40 days this spring.

Preston, 24, of Port Elgin, has congenital muscular dystrophy. He's making the 650-km trek to raise awareness of the "bad" conditions of Ontario's transportation systems for disabled people.

"Accessible transportation in London and abroad does not work," said Preston, a second-year master's student at the University of Western Ontario. "I think that people don't know currently how bad our transportation system is."

Preston's condition makes his travel options limited, he said. His wheelchair isn't collapsible so he needs access to vehicles with special elevators. He has never walked or stood on his own and can only lift about one kilogram with his arms.

Preston said he wants to challenge the London Transit Commission to make all buses accessible sooner than its 10-year deadline.

"People say . . . it's too expensive to renovate the buses, (but) why should I be waiting that long?"

Taking mostly back roads, Preston said he'll stop at schools and meet with politicians in 18 communities to spread his message.

He's trying to raise $25,000 to cover expenses for the trip. Any money above that will go to programs that give discounts to disabled travellers.

The idea for the journey stems from a trip he took to the movies three years ago in London -- when he booked a ride home with an accessible cab that didn't show up.

He waited four hours before riding 30 minutes from Masonville Mall to his residence at Western on his wheelchair.

"My hands were frozen (and) my eyes were burning from the cold wind," he said. "I said, 'Never, ever again would I do this.' "

He starts his trek May 5 with two of his attendants who help him with his daily needs. They'll drive a van behind him and plan to arrive in Ottawa on June 15.

Samantha Burton, 21, one of the attendants, said she's not surprised by Preston's idea for the trip.

"Jeff's always been very active in the community."

Preston has worked with Easter Seals Ontario, the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Canada and Western's Ontarians with Disabilities Act committee.

"This is the biggest kind of adventure that he's done," said Burton. "It's an absolutely amazing and original idea."

DONATIONS

What: Fundraiser party to launch Jeffrey Preston's campaign to raise awareness about the shortcomings of Ontario's transportation systems for disabled people.

Where: Up on Carling, 153 Carling St., London.

When: Today at 9 p.m. Admission is $5.

To donate: Contact sponsors@getmobilized.ca

Reproduced from http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/CityandRegion/2008/01/10/4765099-sun.html

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