Winner unveils wonderful new wheelchair for hospital children's ward

A young designer is proud to have seen her winning wheelchair drawing brought to life and presented to the children's ward at Milton Keynes University Hospital.
By The Newsroom
Published 9th Jan 2017, 16:00 BST
Middleton Primary pupil Ameida Alhassan wins wheel chair design competition.Middleton Primary pupil Ameida Alhassan wins wheel chair design competition.
Middleton Primary pupil Ameida Alhassan wins wheel chair design competition.

Middleton Primary School student Ameida Alhassan’s careful blueprint was chosen from 130 brilliant entries from local primary schools following a hospital competition to build a specialist paediatric wheelchair for patients on ward 5.

With colourful wheels and a specially padded seat for comfort, her vision was a firm favourite with the judges. So much so, in fact, that wheelchair companies RGK Life and Sunrise Medical teamed up to build the wheelchair for the hospital for free.

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Marc Yerrell from Milton Keynes University Hospital devised and ran the competition in October as part of Fab Change Day, an NHS-wide initiative which encourages novel ideas and best practice to be pledged and shared up and down the country.

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Middleton Primary pupil Ameida Alhassan with the wheelchair she designed.Middleton Primary pupil Ameida Alhassan with the wheelchair she designed.
Middleton Primary pupil Ameida Alhassan with the wheelchair she designed.

He said: “When I came up with the competition for Fab Change Day, the thought of the wheelchair actually being made was no more than a dream, but with some determination and great team work, we managed to secure the services of RGK at no cost to the Trust. The teachers tell me that the students at Middleton haven’t stopped talking about their experiences so I am very pleased all round. The wheelchair looks amazing and I hope it will make things a little nicer for the children in ward 5.”

Ameida was presented with her £20 voucher for winning the competition during a surprise visit by MK Hospital Charity mascot Leo the Lion. The runners-up also received small prizes and all entrants were given certificates in recognition of their hard work.

All of the drawings that were entered into the competition have been on display in the hospital’s Eaglestone Restaurant following the deadline for submission. Charity MK Arts for Health have since created a number of canvases showing all of the entries. These will now be permanently exhibited in the venue.