Rob Semple lives in Waco, Texas. He was diagnosed in November of 2019 with ALS with a rare variant form called Brachial Amyotrophic Diplegia. It doesn’t present like most forms of ALS, which made it challenging to diagnose. Most of the time, it stays in the trunk area and involves the neck, shoulders, arms, hands, abs, and back and life expectancy is longer with this variant.
At first, Rob and his family were thankful, before they realized how limiting it would be. Eventually, things became even harder when the disease began to affect Rob’s balance and his ability to walk. This was unexpected for them, and they needed to move quickly to get a power chair.
“I looked online and the name Numotion kept coming up. I decided to reach out and leave a message on the site, never thinking I would get a response,” said Rob’s wife Deb. “The next day, I received a phone call from Rebekah from Numotion. She was so kind and calmed all my fears and said Numotion would be able to help us.”
Rob and Deb were set up with their Customer Care Coordinator, Christopher Dobbins, and Assistive Technology Professional, Linda Barber. “There are no words to adequately express how wonderful they have been. Linda and Christopher spent countless hours trying to get necessary medical records to get Medicare approval for Rob’s power chair. Linda went the extra mile so many times, setting up the PT evaluation, meeting us there for the appointment, calling to check on us before the approval, meeting the Permobil representative when he came to our home to measure Rob for his chair, contacting the Team Gleason Foundation to get us approved for the elevation grant for the chair, checking on us again between the time the chair was ordered and when it arrived, bringing us a loaner chair to help in the short amount of time before the new one arrived, meeting the Permobil representative again to deliver the chair, and delivering it to us in record time….. and she continues to check on us. What a blessing she has been.”
Team Gleason Foundation was founded by former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason after his diagnosis with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) in 2011. Team Gleason’s mission is to improve life for people living with ALS by delivering innovative technology and equipment and providing and empowering an improved life experience.
Before ALS, Rob was the most active 59-year-old you can imagine. He had 7 bicycles and would ride very long routes several times per week. He loved all water sports. He was a “do-it-yourselfer.” He loved yard work and even helped the neighbors with theirs. He headed up an organization at our church called “God’s Toolbox” that built wheelchair ramps for people in need.
Deb and Rob describe their experience working with Numotion as a blessing, “I would recommend Numotion to anyone, especially if Linda Barber could be their ATP. She is like family to us now.”