News Home » World » USLego reveals first ever toy figure in a wheelchair A campaigner has hailed Lego's first ever figure of a young person in a wheelchair as a step towards ending the "cultural marginalisation" of children with disabilities. Charities also commended the move, saying it would boost the confidence of disabled children. The figure of the young person using a wheelchair was first seen at the Nuremberg Toy Fair in Germany on Wednesday but Lego has said it will not be available to buy until June. It comes after Rebecca Atkinson launched the ToyLikeMe campaign last year, urging Lego to draw an end to disabled children being "culturally excluded from your much-loved products". petition has garnered more than 20,000 signatures in support of Lego producing a more diverse set of figures. The petition reads: "There are 150 million children with disabilities worldwide. Yet these kids are arriving into a world where... they're excluded or misrepresented by the very industry that exists to create their entertainment, the objects that fuel their development, the starting blocks of life: Toys!"
Commenting on the launch of Lego's new product, Ms Atkinson said she was "beyond happy". She said it was a step towards ending "cultural marginalisation", adding it would "speak volumes to children, disabled or otherwise, the world over". Emma Owen, a spokesperson for Lego, said: "We would like to confirm that there will be a wheelchair in the Lego City range, [which] will be available from June this year." Pasca Lane, from disability charity Scope, hoped Lego's move would improve attitudes towards disabled children. "Many parents tell us it is important for their children to have toys which they can identify with because it builds their confidence, self-esteem and the feeling of being included in society." But she warned enough was still not being done by the toy industry. "Too many toy manufacturers are still missing a trick by not making toys with impairments widely available. "After all, the spending power of disabled consumers is worth over £200 billion," she said. George Fielding from Whizz-Kidz charity, said: "I used to enjoy playing with Lego when I was younger but I never had a character that I really related to or one that I felt represented me as a wheelchair user."
"I'm so pleased to hear about Lego's new disabled model because it means that young disabled people growing up now, might feel more included and represented." Michael Friedrichs, from Lego news blog PromoBricks, told The Independent: "For years now... Lego fans from all over the world [have demanded the company] release an official set with disabled people. After a long wait, we will have [it] this summer. "It's really awesome and the feedback in the community is very positive." From Around the WebMore From The Times of India Ezra H. Murray for Art-Sheep A vet’s cleverness and a few LEGO bricks gave a little tortoise the chance to move around easily on its own tine “wheelchair”. Iris Peste, the tortoise’s owner, took him to the vet when she observed that Blade had difficulty to move. Dr. Carsten Plischke found out that Blade’s limbs have lost their strength due to a combination of issues, like a growth disorder and worms, resulting in the tortoise’s disability to walk without aid.
In a moment’s thought, Dr. Pilschke took some of his son’s LEGO bricks and fixed them on the underside of little Blade’s shell, who is now able to move around thanks to the two sets of wheels that now support his body. In the meantime, his legs can heal until little Blade walks on his own again. Dr. Pilschke says that “for people there are walkers, rollators or prostheses but for animals there are no companies that produce something like that” and continues that “the size variation of animals means they can’t establish uniform products. So you have to come up with creative solutions; every animal needs its own treatment”. Thank goodness for imaginative and benevolent veterinarians like Dr. Pilschke who are willing to find a way to help animals any way they can.Blade is a tiny tortoise with a bone disorder so severe, he couldn’t hold up his own weight. So his genius of a vet, Dr. Carsten Plischke, made him a wheelchair out of Lego blocks. Now Blade gets around just fine, as you can see for yourself in the video and way-too-adorable pics.
May he enjoy many more years of rolling around the house! Tortoise gets an incredibly cute Lego ‘wheelchair’ A Tiny tortoise named Blade suffers from a big problem – a metabolic bone disease that makes him too weak to hold up the weight of his own shell. His owner, Iris Pleste, realized the 127 g tortoise wasn’t as active and healthy as her other pets, so she took the little guy to her local veterinarian, the Bielefeld, Germany-based Dr. Carsten Plischke. Dr. Plishke came up with the genius idea to attach Lego wheels to the bottom of Blade’s shell so he could skate across the ground, but still use his legs and arms to gain momentum and change his direction. Blade’s Lego “wheelchair” consists of four wheels, treaded with rubber. The contraption is glued to Blade’s underside with special glue that also won’t hurt him. As the video below shows, Blade seems to be enjoying his new-found mobility and now gets around quite easily. A similar prosthetic Lego solution was used to help a Tortoise in named Schildi in Germany last year.
Read more Articles from Patrick O'Rourke The wheelchair-using figure was spotted at toy fairs in London and Nuremberg Lego backs down on Ai Weiwei bulk ban 'The Brickman': Living the Lego building dream Lego has unveiled its first ever minifigure of a wheelchair user, almost a year after a social media campaign began pushing the toy maker to "think outside the brick box" and represent people with disabilities.The beanie-wearing minifigure features in the Fun in the Park set, and is accompanied by a helper dog.It was spotted at the London and Nuremberg Toy Fairs, with photos later shared online by the Bricksfans website.The move comes after Lego was accused of a lack of diversity in its minifigures, with the Toy Like Me campaign launching a petition for the company to include minifigures with disabilities. Excitement factor - off the scale! "Oh Lego, where are your basket-balling wheelsters? Baseball playing Duplo folk with hearing aids? White cane using Lego Friends off to the gym?" said the petition, which attracted more than 20,000 signatures.