In November 2014, my life changed dramatically after I suffered a spinal cord injury from a freak accident—a slip and fall into the bathtub. Suddenly, using a wheelchair became my new reality. One day, while still in rehab, I was feeling restless and decided to take a cruise in my powerchair.

Ambitiously, I headed to Yorkdale Shopping Mall, my old stomping grounds.

I traveled 14 km (8 miles) on a hot Toronto summer day. By the time I arrived, I was suffering from heat stroke and severe dehydration! The paramedics had to ice me down to reduce my body temperature. Due to my limited hand function and the design of my wheelchair, I hadn’t figured out a way to carry water with me and access it independently.

As it turned out, that day was the hottest of the summer. I remember thinking, "This can't happen again; there's got to be a better way!" I was determined not to let my disability stop me.

Living in a wheelchair doesn’t prevent us from wanting to lead an independent and active lifestyle. I wanted to be able to navigate my life comfortably while using my wheelchair, without worrying about dehydration. Unfortunately, all the conventional wheelchair cup holders available on the market were either flimsy or mounted in a way that made them insecure. I needed something that would accommodate my limited hand function and would never get knocked off my wheelchair. That’s when I invented HandiCup—the securely mounted, user-friendly, functional cup holder that’s guaranteed to never lose a drink!

If you know someone who would benefit from a HandiCup, please share this information. Thank you for taking the time to visit my website!

Chris Stigas

Inventor, Brand Developer

HandiHelp Accessible Innovations Ltd.

#TheNecessaryAccessory