Touching the Sea with the Help of Others

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Lidia has lived her life in a wheelchair since birth. She can’t walk. But that does not stop her from swimming in the Mediterranean.

 

She is one of many disabled men, women and children who use a beach service run by the Red Cross at Malvarrosa Beach in Valencia, Spain. This service allows the disabled to immerse themselves in the water via a floating wheelchair.

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Many like Lidia were unable to go in the water for years before they gained access by using the especially designed wheelchairs.

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“I’ve also skied and am going to learn to surf,” she says. Thanks to a friend who introduced her to the service, she’s been using it for 5 years. “It gives me a sense of freedom like nothing else.”

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It makes her happy, therefore she’s at the beach everyday rain or shine.

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The floating wheelchairs provide a seamless transition from beach to water. They allow individuals full access to the ocean with moveable armrests that allow them to roll out into the waves and swim by themselves.

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Their contagious smiles, warm laughter and positive attitude warm the hearts of the volunteers who assist them. The Red Cross workers and volunteers are a big part of the service’s success.

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“The workers don’t pity the individuals and they completely treat them like normal people,” said one sunbather who rested on a towel next to the Red Cross tent. “It is very good for the people who use it, and it really helps them.”

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The service at Malvarrosa Beach has been around for 25-years. One girl’s grandma first used the service when it began in the early 90’s.

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Pablo Folgado, a Red Cross worker, started out in the medical field, but transitioned to volunteering for the Red Cross, because he wanted a hands-on job that allowed him to work with people. He has worked here three years.

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“Being in direct contact builds relationships,” said Pablo, who’s developed a close relationship with Isabel, a disabled woman who used the service. The two have developed a genuine friendship, because they are a lot alike and share similar viewpoints. According to Pablo, one of the hardest parts of the job is watching individuals participate in the service, but not seeing them return because they got divorced, became ill, or passed away.

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“Seeing them smile makes me smile,” said Monica, a Red Cross worker.

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The service helps children as well as adults.

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Africa Lopez, age 10, wheeled up the boardwalk to the Red Cross tent with her parents right behind her. Her sweet smile and pink-framed glasses framed her face, and her contagious laugh made my heart grin. Africa, a lover of the water, went in the swimming pool not long ago, but anxiously awaited getting in the water again.

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I watched as she got wheeled down the sand, laughing and smiling with an inner tube in hand — her dad jogging right behind straight into the waves. She happily flopped right in as two volunteers lifted the armrests on her chair. Holding onto the inner tube, her dad and she splashed one another and exchanged laughs.

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Africa later expressed that her favorite parts were swimming with her dad and being wheeled up and down the beach by the volunteers.

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“It was fun and exciting!”

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