Imagine being told you can’t access the mobility device that keeps you safest – simply because of your age. That’s exactly what our client Natalie Morton experienced when she was denied funding for the walker that best supports her needs as an adult living with cerebral palsy.

Age-based denial of essential equipment shouldn’t happen – especially when human rights laws say otherwise. We’re proud to have joined together with Etac to ensure Natalie received the walker that truly works for her, and we fully support her decision to appeal this ruling so others don’t face the same barrier.

Natalie’s story is powerful, personal, and an important call for change. Read her experience and why this conversation matters for everyone.

For as long as I can remember, mobility has been something I’ve had to work for. I have cerebral palsy, a lifelong medical condition that affects how I move and how my muscles coordinate. I have used a rear-facing walker for practically my entire life because it has always given me the best support to allow me to feel safe, stay mobile, and maintain my independence. In my adult years, I specifically chose the R82 Crocodile from Etac and have been using this equipment for about 12 years.

But recently, I learned the hard way that the government doesn’t always consider what a disabled person actually needs. They consider what fits neatly into their categories.

The Day the System Denied Me

When I applied through Ontario’s Assistive Devices Program (ADP) for a new Crocodile walker in the summer of 2025, my request was denied outright. Not because the device was inappropriate. Not because it wouldn’t help me. Not because my medical team disagreed. I was denied strictly because of my age – despite having previously been approved for the exact same walker as an adult at the age of 22. 

Both times, after an initial denial, my Authorizer had explained my reason for needing this particular equipment. This was met with approval the first time around, however this time, after going through that exact same process, I was still denied.

The Crocodile walker is labeled “pediatric,” and ADP told my Authorizer that since I’m over 18, I no longer qualify – despite the fact that cerebral palsy does not magically disappear when someone becomes a legal adult. It is lifelong. Many adults with CP continue to use rear-facing walkers because they are the safest and most effective design for our bodies.

But the rules didn’t care. ADP’s decision made one thing clear: a label mattered more than my safety, independence, and dignity.

Trying the “Approved” Option

Because my original request was denied, I tried the forearm walker ADP would cover. I wanted to be open-minded. I wanted to make it work.

At first, on smooth indoor floors, I thought, maybe I can get used to this.

But it didn’t take long for reality to set in:

• On sidewalks – even slightly uneven ones – I felt unsafe. Without rear support, every bump felt like a fall waiting to happen.
• It tipped when I tried to turn. A paratransit driver even stopped to ask if I was okay after witnessing it nearly go over.
• Its narrow frame didn’t accommodate my natural gait. I ran over my own feet, which is as painful as it sounds.

Mobility aids are supposed to make life easier. This one made every step feel like a risk.

Eventually, I had to admit to myself that choosing the forearm walker was choosing between “the lesser of two evils” – and still ending up hurt.

A Lifeline from Motion & Etac

When ADP wouldn’t help, Motion and Etac stepped in and donated the walker that actually works for me. I cannot even find the words to express how grateful I am for that decision. Their generousity was an answer to prayer that almost brought me to tears, and I know I’ll never be able to repay them for such kindness. ‘Thank you’ is all I can say, but it is nowhere near enough. Without them, I would still be stuck with equipment that felt dangerous and limiting.

But I shouldn’t have had to rely on a donation to receive the device that best supports my body. And others shouldn’t have to either.

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Why I Filed an Appeal

Even though Motion and Etac solved my immediate problem, I still filed an appeal with ADP. Why? Because the next adult with cerebral palsy might not have a company step up for them. They might be stuck with equipment that doesn’t meet their needs – or worse, equipment that actively puts them at risk.

Denying someone access to essential mobility aids based solely on age is not only illogical, it is also illegal under both the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Ontario Human Rights Code. Age is explicitly listed as a prohibited ground of discrimination in the provision of goods and services.

My appeal outlines this clearly, with citations directly from the legislation. The decision wasn’t just wrong. It was discriminatory. And discriminatory policies don’t change unless someone challenges them.

What This Fight Is Really About

This isn’t only about me wanting a specific walker. To be honest, I didn’t want to fight this fight at all, but I have a voice, and I am going to use it. ADP must be held to account. It’s as simple as that. It’s about what happens when support systems see people through the narrow lens of “policy” instead of the reality of their lives.

My condition isn’t pediatric just because my equipment is. My safety isn’t less important because I’m an adult. And my need for mobility support doesn’t conform to arbitrary labels.

Assistive devices should be matched to bodies, not birthdays.

Moving Forward with Hope

I don’t know what ADP will decide. My appeal asks them not only to overturn my denial, but to eliminate the discriminatory rule altogether. If they don’t, I’m prepared to pursue a complaint, possibly with legal support.

But I hope it doesn’t come to that.

I hope this opens eyes. I hope it sparks change. I hope no one else has to fight this hard just to walk safely in their own community.

Until then, I’ll keep advocating for myself, and for everyone who depends on mobility aids to live the life they choose.

And I’ll keep walking, in the equipment that truly supports me thanks to the kindness of people who cared enough to listen when the system didn’t.

Natalie Morton