Dragon’s Den favourites Adapt Ability present Omeo wheelchair to lucky competition winner
The co-founders of Adapt Ability, who pitched and won investment on BBC1’s Dragon’s Den programme, have presented one of their “game changing” hands-free self-balancing powered wheelchairs as a prize to a 20 year-old Salisbury woman.
Tia McConnell, 20, from Salisbury was “shocked and surprised” when BBC presenter Steve Brown told her that she had won a hands-free Omeo wheelchair.
Tia initially discovered the Omeo when she saw Matt Walker and Cristian Brownlee, co-founders of Adapt Ability, pitch and win investment on BBC1’s Dragons’ Den on 9 February 2023. Knowing the difference that an Omeo could make to her life she was one of over 1,000 people who entered Adapt Ability’s competition.
Founded in 2020, the Omeo technology originates in New Zealand and is assembled into the self-balancing chair by Adapt Ability. Instead of the wheelchair user pushing their own wheels, they can propel and shift direction using their bodyweight. The end-user is able to travel over uneven terrain, scale inclines and navigate troughs and bumps in the ground.
Matt and Christian, who both use wheelchairs after sustaining accidents causing spinal damage, were “inundated with requests” for more information about the wheelchair following their appearance on the programme.
Last week, Tia travelled to Middlesex, with her Mum Denise, her brother Jude and her girlfriend Abby, believing she was going to meet one of her Mum’s ex work colleagues for lunch.
Instead, Tia received the surprise of her life when she met BBC presenter and keen Omeo user, Steve Brown, and Adapt Ability’s Directors Cristian Brownlee and Matt Walker in the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore, where they announced that she had won an Omeo.
Steve Brown, who surprised Tia with the news that she had won said: “My Omeo has made a world of difference to me and I know that having an Omeo will open a whole new world for you too.”
On hearing the news Tia said: “I can’t believe it – my whole life is going to change for the better. I’m in shock. I’ve never won anything before, let alone something like this. I feel like I’ve had all my life’s luck in this moment and I honestly can’t believe it!”
Tia, who started using a wheelchair in 2020 and is now reliant on one every time she goes out, continued: “I can’t believe the change having an Omeo is going to bring to my life and the doors that have just opened up for me.
“I can’t wait to get out there and rediscover all the possibilities I’ve had to force myself to forget about. I’m beyond grateful to the Adapt Ability team for choosing me as the lucky winner. I feel like I’ve got my life back.”
Cristian Brownlee, Director of Adapt Ability said: “We were overwhelmed by the number of entries we received but Matt and I read through every single one.
“Choosing a winner was very hard indeed as they were so many impressive and moving entries but Tia’s stood out and we are looking forward to hearing about the difference her hands free, all-terrain Omeo will make to her life.”
Tia enjoyed an active childhood as an avid horse rider and dancer, until a slipped disc, caused by a freak accident at home when she was just 16, led to worsening pain, weakness and immobility. She was diagnosed with fibromyalgia (a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body) in January 2022 and became a full time wheelchair user at the age of 18.
The first thing she plans to do is to take her dog Delilah out for a walk on her own.
