Scott Liesch the Standing Wheelchair Advocate

Standing wheelchairs since their inception have long been embraced by the wheelchair-using community, helping people stand and maintain their overall health for as long as possible after a spinal cord injury. Scott Liesch, a 60 year old man with paraplegia from New Jersey, has more than embraced standing wheelchairs; he has made them an integral part of his life both personally and professionally.

But what drew him to these fantastical contractions other than the obvious? This impassioned man knows how helpful they can really be. Read Liesch’s story of struggle, upheaval, and a promise to oneself to maintain his health for as long as possible, below.

Chaos Brings Clarity

Twenty-four years ago in a galaxy not so far away was a 36 year old version of Scott Liesch. It was September 2001, he was able-bodied, and he was (and still is) a lifelong fan of motocross. “My older brother and friends were involved with it when I was a kid and I was drawn to it because of them. Even though I know how dangerous it is, I still love the sport.” And after his injury on that fateful early fall day, there’s only one thing on his mind when he realized what had happened.

“Fear of knowing that my life, as I knew it, would change,” he says. “I was totally conscious when it happened and knew when I moved my legs, that I remember were like wet noodles, that it was very serious. After my initial surgery when the doctor came in and told me I would never walk again I didn’t believe him and was going to do everything I could to prove him wrong. Turns out, he was right, so far anyway,” Liesch says with a laugh.

After completing his rehabilitation at Kessler Institute in New Jersey and learning how to take care of himself independently, thanks in part to his level of paraplegia, he returned home. But he was never happy with the wheelchair his therapists recommended. “I felt everything at Kessler was great except when I was being evaluated for my wheelchair. I was never informed about the option of a standing wheelchair even though I was a perfect candidate for one. I have a MAJOR problem with that.”

After returning home, Liesch had bigger fish to fry. He had to rearrange his employment life since he could no longer return to his previous job as a truck driver, especially a long distance, freight hauling truck driver. But before he could do that, he found himself with a serious pressure wound that laid him up for 3 long years.

“After I was all healed I knew I didn’t want to go through that nightmare again. I didn’t want to rely on the pressure relief protocol we were all taught in rehab. I thought to myself, ‘What better way is there to relieve pressure off my butt?’ And a lightbulb went off. I realized I needed to stand.” Fortunately for Leisch, he was already aware of staining wheelchairs thanks to a girl he had met a few years ago.

He suddenly found himself on a quest to get his very own standing wheelchair, which fortunately ended with success. “I drew on the memory of that girl’s standing wheelchair. I didn’t even know what company made her chair so I did a Google search for standing wheelchairs and found The Standing Wheelchair Co. I was impressed with what I saw on their website and met Ray, the owner, at their booth at the Abilities Expo here in NJ to try their standing wheelchairs.”

After a demo, Liesch knew had to get one. The company sells 3 models, including their Half-Power Superstand and a Full-Power option. And then with luck, things fell into place when Ray offered Liesch a job upon meeting him. “I accepted and was able to get my Half Power Superstand standing wheelchair paid for by vocational rehabilitation.”

Living His Passion

Since becoming a sales Rep for The Standing Company, Liesch has also become a disability advocate. He can be found often in Washington, DC advocating on behalf of American citizens with disabilities in need of proper mobility equipment. He will also visit rehabilitation centers to discuss the benefits of standing wheelchairs, which has changed many people’s lives. “Ultimately, our goal would be to get insurance, especially Medicare and Medicaid, to approve standing wheelchairs to medically appropriate wheelchair users. While the initial cost of the chair may be more than a conventional wheelchair, I truly believe it would pay for itself in the long run with the prevention of costly secondary health issues caused by sitting all day long.”

Outside of work, he’s spent the last 17 years with his life partner, whom he met 7 years after his injury at an alternative therapy practitioner’s office. “Since we met later in life and did not have a desire to have kids, we decided there was no need to have the piece of paper (marriage certificate). We’ve been together longer than many marriages. Why fix something that isn’t broken…..haha. I love her dearly and I am incredibly grateful for her in MANY ways. She has said she doesn’t even see me as a wheelchair-user because I can still do more than a lot of able-bodied people. She also has a daughter who I consider my daughter.”

Whether it’s sailing in his Hobie Cat each summer or using his standing wheelchair to play Cornhole, throw darts or play pool, Liesch knows how to enjoy life in spite of a paralyzing injury. He will also use his standing wheelchair for house repairs. “I hung a medicine cabinet in my bathroom, hung a curtain rod over my sliding glass door, installed and painted trim over an entry door, repaired and painted my shed, and replaced 2 doors in my garage.”

“And socially,” he admits, “it’s nice to be able to stand with an able-bodied person or group of people and have a conversation at eye level. It makes me feel like more of an equal.” If you’re interested in getting a standing wheelchair funded, he has advice as well.

“I am a perfect example; I couldn’t afford a standing wheelchair, but I was able to get it funded through vocational rehabilitation. And if voc rehab is not an option, we have clients who have gotten their Superstand paid for doing fundraisers. There are also a couple of other options for funding. In this day and age of the internet and social media, it has become easier than ever to find an option for funding a Superstand. The sky is the limit. Where there is a will, there is a way.”

— https://www.instagram.com/thestandingcompany/