I loaded my Transit van with loads of gadgets so I can live in it all summer long – it’s perfect even though it’s tiny
LIVING in a van might not be for everyone, but for one woman it was the solution to all her problems
Paralympic athlete Lisa Franks has been dependent on her wheelchair since she was 14-years-old, but finds it tricky to navigate in it during the snowy winters in Canada.
That’s why she decided to completely kit out a Transit so she can drive down to California and enjoy the warm weather there instead.
Speaking as part of Channel 5’s Million Pound Motorhomes, Lisa showed off her home and explained how she customised it to make it work for her wheelchair.
To drive the van she uses hand controls, which is how she learnt to drive.
“I needed to really customise my own van to suit my needs. Where it began was seeing a different kind of wheelchair lift and how that could change the whole layout of a van,” she explained.
Rather than a traditional platform lift, Lisa opted for a different type that wouldn’t take up much room and hoists her up with sturdy chains.
In the kitchen of the van the shelves pull down so she can reach everything inside easily, as well as hidden strings to open pull the cabinets down.
As for her bed, Lisa needed it to be quite high up so her sports year could fit underneath, which meant she needed to work out a way to get herself up there to sleep.
“I didn’t know how I’d be able to get myself into bed, I can’t bare any weight through my legs, I just have to use my arms.
“I put an actuator for a standing desk inside this bench.
So, I transfer onto the bench and I push a button and it rises up to almost the height of the bed so I don’t have to do all the work to get up there.
“So now it’s a fully wheelchair accessible camper van,” she said.
The conversion cost Lisa over £11,000 but it was totally worth every penny.
Having the summer camper home has meant she’s able to practice surfing, which she has an adaptive board for.
