{"id":553,"date":"2012-06-19T00:28:56","date_gmt":"2012-06-19T00:28:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/daviddesmith.com\/?p=553"},"modified":"2012-06-19T17:19:23","modified_gmt":"2012-06-19T17:19:23","slug":"paragolfer-deserves-a-standing-ovation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/daviddesmith\/golf\/equipment\/553\/paragolfer-deserves-a-standing-ovation","title":{"rendered":"ParaGolfer Deserves a Standing Ovation"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

Dr. Michael Jacuch, right, learning about the benefits of the ParaGolfer from Jerry Donovan.<\/p><\/div>\n

For any avid golfer, a year and a half would be a very long time to go without playing golf.\u00a0 Too long.\u00a0 But imagine if you had to go that long without even being able to stand up outdoors.\u00a0 Dr. Michael Jacuch can tell you exactly how difficult that is.\u00a0 Following a trip to the hospital in 2010, the Portsmouth, N.H. cardiologist was left paralyzed from the chest down.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor a long time, I didn\u2019t want to acknowledge that it had really happened to me.\u00a0 But there\u2019s no denying the fact that I\u2019m paralyzed, and the effect that it\u2019s had on me and my family is almost impossible to put into words.\u201d<\/p>\n

Recently, though, Jacuch got a glimpse of a somewhat brighter future when Jerry Donovan of the Northeast Accessible Golf Association<\/a> introduced him to the ParaGolfer \u2013 a high-tech golf cart made especially for handicapped golfers.\u00a0 Donovan met up with Jacuch at Renaissance, a private golf club in Haverhill, Mass. to show him what the ParaGolfer could do.\u00a0 Donovan, a paraplegic himself who owns and enthusiastically promotes the ParaGolfer, demonstrated this breakthrough machine \u2013 then gave Jacuch a turn.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t long before Jacuch was grinning at his solid strikes — and joking once again about his slice.\u00a0 A part of Jacuch\u2019s life that had been taken away seemed like it might possibly return.\u00a0 You can view a WBZ-TV news report of Jacuch’s emotional return to the golf course here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

"You're up" -- words that are music to the ears of paraplegics in more ways than one.<\/p><\/div>\n

The ParaGolfer, also called the ParaMobile, comes from a German company called Parabasetec.\u00a0 It was designed and developed by Christian Nachtwey (ex European champion of wheelchair golfer) and Anthony Netto (a wheelchair-bound golf professional), in partnership with Otto Bock Health Care, a worldwide manufacturer of wheelchairs, rehabilitation and medical products.\u00a0 What makes this product so remarkable is that it actually lifts the golfer into a standing position so that he or she can swing at the ball standing up.\u00a0 It\u2019s a lot easier for a handicapped player to swing this way \u2013 and that\u2019s only one of the many important benefits of the ParaGolfer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always enjoyed playing golf, even though I was never a great player,\u201d said Jacuch.\u00a0 \u201cBeing able to use the ParaGolfer and to get out and play with my friends again would be great.\u00a0 But the other advantages this technology offers are even more compelling.\u00a0 There\u2019s a lot to be said for being able to stand up.\u00a0 An awful lot. \u201d<\/p>\n

One of the benefits that Jacuch is referring to is the therapeutic benefit of being able to stand on your feet when you\u2019re handicapped.\u00a0 Being in a standing, vertical position promotes circulation, stimulates the metabolism, stretches muscles and tendons, reduces spasticities and enhances the mobility of joints.\u00a0 Paraplegics need to be on their feet daily \u2013 and with the ParaGolfer and ParaMobile, they can do so anywhere and everywhere, with just the touch of a button.<\/p>\n

Standing up has a host of other benefits, too \u2013 including a psychological one.\u00a0 The day that Jacuch tried out the ParaGolfer at Renaissance was the first time in 18 months that he\u2019d been able to hug his wife Alex without her having to bend over to do so \u2013 something that brought both of them to tears.\u00a0 Jacuch was able to chase his young daughter Natalia around the practice range, too \u2013 which quickly had her squealing with delight and made him so emotional that he was at a loss for words.<\/p>\n

Jacuch got choked up again when he talked about what a difference it makes to be able to look someone in the eye rather than constantly having to look up at people \u2013 and have them look down at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnless you\u2019re confined to a wheelchair like me and Jerry, people have no idea how hard that is,\u201d Jacuch said.\u00a0 \u201cIn a way, the ParaMobile or ParaGolfer gives you some of your dignity back.\u00a0 And that means so much \u2013 it really does.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Being able to hug your wife in a standing position for the first time in 18 months -- priceless.<\/p><\/div>\n

As you might imagine, the ParaGolfer is not inexpensive.\u00a0 The technology involved in its design and manufacture gives it a sticker price of over $20,000.\u00a0 And unfortunately, despite its proven therapeutic benefits, insurance doesn\u2019t cover the purchase of a ParaMobile.\u00a0\u00a0 This is something that both Donovan and Jacuch believe should be changed.\u00a0 The fact is, keeping paralyzed legs healthier can help keep paraplegic people healthier.<\/p>\n

In Jacuch\u2019s case, the ParaMobile could have one other amazing benefit, too.\u00a0 It could allow him resume doing the kind of interventional cardiology procedures that he used to do \u2013 procedures that normally require the physician to be in a standing position.\u00a0 That would benefit not just Jacuch \u2013 but all the patients he could be seeing and helping, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis product is a godsend is so many ways,\u201d Jacuch said.<\/p>\n

Now he just needs to find a way to get one.<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

If you\u2019d like to speak to Dr. Jacuch about the ParaGolfer or ParaMobile \u2013 or would like to help him in his quest to get one, he has provided this email address for direct communication: <\/em>mjacuch@aol.com<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For any avid golfer, a year and a half would be a very long time to go without playing golf.\u00a0… Read more »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":82,"featured_media":554,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,3],"tags":[485398,485399,485400,485401,485402,485403,6405,485405,485406,485407],"class_list":["post-553","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-golf","category-equipment","tag-dr-michael-jacuch","tag-jerry-donovan","tag-paragolfer","tag-paramobile","tag-parabasetec","tag-handicapped-golf","tag-renaissance-golf-club","tag-golf-for-all","tag-anthony-netto","tag-christian-nachtwey-otto-bock-health-care"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/daviddesmith\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2012\/06\/IMG_0525.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/daviddesmith\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/553","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/daviddesmith\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/daviddesmith\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/daviddesmith\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/82"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/daviddesmith\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=553"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/daviddesmith\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/553\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":565,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/daviddesmith\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/553\/revisions\/565"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/daviddesmith\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/554"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/daviddesmith\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=553"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/daviddesmith\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=553"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/daviddesmith\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=553"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}