Dear Sirs,

This is a request for help with all understanding of the fact that many people in this country have a worse living than I do without any access to means of public address that I have.

The trouble I have is as follows: my wheel-chair has briken down. It is of special make, in fact, in was tailored for me in Germany in 1992 where I had to travel on my own. Making contact with producers of a vehicle like mine has proved fruitless so far as they are no longer dealing with private orders. The last group that ventured to facilitate combining a second one from various parts was a subdivision of LebensHilfe, Germany but they are refusing it now.

In short, my problem is that I need a specific type of a wheel-chair.

Why does it have to be tailor-made?

The majority of the wheel-chairs produced are designed for individuals able to sit upright which I cannot do but only lie flat on my back all the time. Firstly, for tilting the "bed" in a slightly vertical position a mechanical drive was provided in my old wheel-chair. Secondly, the shape of my body necessitates taking an imprint of it so that the "bed" which is a detachable part on my wheel-chair is made as comfortable as possible plus the material has to "breathe" i.e. to let the air in and out. Therefore, the make would either need to have me measured the way he finds fit or get the measurements from us which, I believe, is a more uncertain way of doing it.

Since I am living on my own and am frequently confined to one room environment for several months because of the absence of a facility to carry me around, having a second wheel-chair made would be highly desirable for me. And I would be grateful to anyone willing to find either a sponsor or a maker as, so far as I know, Russia has no experience of dealing with requests of such a nature. The only place in the Internet referrring to this branch of medicl care is "Meyra" http://www.meyra.de.

In conclusion I should like to emphasize that I am more interested in finding an enterprise willing to accept me as their client (or patient) for whatever it would cost.

Expectingly yours,
Anton M. Borissov.
Borisov@solar.rtd.utk.edu
Astrakhan
Phone/Fax +7 (8512) 250-823