Steve Wilkinson
Where it all started
International Wheelchair Day was founded on March 1, 2008, by Steve Wilkinson, a passionate advocate for wheelchair users who lived with spina bifida. Steve’s vision was to create a global movement that celebrated the positive impact of wheelchairs, recognised the efforts of those who provide and support mobility solutions and raised awareness about the millions of people still in need of a wheelchair. Though Steve passed away in 2024, his legacy lives on. The International Society of Wheelchair Professionals (ISWP) is committed to honoring his advocacy and continuing to promote International Wheelchair Day, ensuring that accessibility, inclusion, and mobility remain a global priority.
Will you join the movement with us?
2025 International Wheelchair Day Events
Community Based seating and repair clinics
Organisation: Shonaquip
Location: South Africa
Contact: kim@henshilwooddesign.com & Shona@ShonaquipSE.org.za
Learning session on the WHO guidelines and more
Surf Therapy & International Wheelchair Day
Organisation: Roxy Davis Foundation
Location: Surfer’s Corner Muizenberg
Date: 1/03/2025
This event brings together volunteers and participants to create a powerful day of inclusion, connection, and surf therapy—where the ocean becomes a space of freedom and joy for all.
Celebrate Inclusion, Mobility & Innovation
Organisation: Kyaninga Mobility
Location: Kyaninga Lodge, Fort Portal
Date: 1/03/2025
Join us for International Wheelchair Day 2025! Celebrate mobility, resilience, and inclusion with wheelchair users, advocates, and athletes. Promote accessibility, challenge perceptions, and enjoy a day of fun!
Celebrate International Wheelchair Day with Free Entry at Merlin Attractions
Organisation: Merlin Entertainments
Date: 1/03/2025
Merlin Entertainments is offering free entry to mobility device users and their carers at all Australian and New Zealand attractions from March 1st to 3rd, 2025, in celebration of International Wheelchair Day.
Behind every number is a life changed. Here`s a snapshot of ISWP`s global impact:
11,800+ members worldwide
1,565 individuals trained
~1,366 certified wheelchair service providers
1 chapter launched, in Argentina
Thousands of wheelchair users lives impacted
Every number represents progress toward a world where appropriate wheelchair provision is the standard, not the exception.
Ability meets mobility.
#ISWP #WheelchairProfessionals #CapacityBuilding #AppropriateWheelchairProvision
Good news for our paid ISWP members, you`re eligible for a 10% discount to attend the Posture and Mobility Group (PMG) Conference 2026!
19–21 October 2026
Doncaster Racecourse, Doncaster, UK
This is a great opportunity to connect with fellow professionals and deepen your expertise in posture and mobility.
Email lisa.thompson@pmguk.co.uk if you would like to attend and mention you are an ISWP paid member.
Learn more about PMG 2026: https://pmguk.co.uk/
Ability meets mobility.
#ISWP #PMG2026 #PostureAndMobility #AppropriateWheelchairProvision
Missed It live? Now you can catch up.
Ruben Moreno`s webinar recording, `Anticipating Possible and Probable Postural Events`, is now available for purchase!
This session explores how clinicians can move from reacting to postural challenges to anticipating them before they become severe or irreversible, covering key indicators of future postural deterioration, the link between seating decisions and long-term musculoskeletal outcomes, and practical strategies for earlier, more proactive intervention.
If you missed it live, this is your chance to access these insights on your own time. 👉
Purchase the recording: https://iswp.org/events/
Ability meets mobility.
#ISWP #Webinar #AppropriateWheelchairProvision
In humanitarian crises, people with mobility impairments, especially wheelchair users, face heightened risks of injury, neglect, and exclusion from response systems. Right now, that reality is playing out for millions affected by the crises.
On World Humanitarian Day, ISWP is calling on the humanitarian community to make appropriate wheelchair provision a core part of crisis response, not an afterthought.
Read our full position statement: https://iswp.org/position-statements/
Together, we are stronger.
#WorldHumanitarianDay #ISWP #AppropriateWheelchairProvision
For over a decade, the ISWP community has been working together to strengthen wheelchair provision around the world.
But the true impact isn`t found in numbers alone.
It`s found in the provider who gained new skills. The organisation that trained a new workforce. The wheelchair user who gained independence. The family whose daily life changed for the better.
These are the stories that inspire action.
If you`ve been part of the ISWP community, as a wheelchair user, provider, trainer, organisation, or partner, we`d love to hear from you!
🎥 Record a 20-30 second video
📸 Share a photo
✍️ Write a short story
Send your story to info@iswp.org or tag ISWP on social media.
For more info: https://iswp.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/ISWP-Share-your-impact-story-.pdf
Together, we can show why appropriate wheelchair provision matters and why investing in people, training, and systems changes lives.
#ISWP #ImpactStory #WheelchairProvision #AssistiveTechnology
REMINDER! Less than a month to go! Join us on Wednesday, September 9 at 11:00 GMT for our next ISWP webinar.
`Seating and Mobility for Children`s Participation Outcomes`, presented by Marta Figueiredo.
This session explores how seating and mobility interventions shape children`s participation, focusing on attendance, involvement, engagement, and functional performance in everyday life.
With over 20 years of international experience in paediatrics, rehabilitation, and assistive technology, Marta brings deep clinical and research expertise supporting children with cerebral palsy and developmental disabilities.
Her work bridges evidence and practice to improve participation outcomes through effective wheelchair provision and positioning solutions.
💲 Fee: $15 USD (15% discount for ISWP paid members)
👉 Register here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=3-3Ig3U0JUCHg_NPbQuTPae8U4fIXslJmAYQmn6VQKJUNFFCSFVLUlBQOUQwMkFZSDJXSVNKMjc1Vy4u
We look forward to welcoming you!
#ISWP #Webinar #WheelchairProvision #Paediatrics #AssistiveTechnology
One chair. One life changed.
Meet Patricio Montalvo. Watch how access to an appropriate wheelchair opened up a world of independence, mobility, and dignity for him.
This is why ISWP`s work matters.
Watch his story. 🎥
#ISWP #AppropriateWheelchairProvision #WheelchairUser #ImpactStory @cielodeamor.ec @ruth.weinberg
The Wheelchair Educators` Package (WEP) is here to help educators integrate wheelchair content into your curriculum across all 3 stages of integration: advocating, planning & teaching, and evaluating.
By strengthening wheelchair-specific content in your courses, you`re helping build a competent future workforce of Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, and Prosthetics & Orthotics professionals at the basic wheelchair service provision level.
Explore the updated WEP: https://wep.iswp.org/
Together, we are stronger.
#ISWP #WheelchairEducatorsPackage #WEP #AppropriateWheelchairProvision
