Max, 8 loves riding his tandem bike with dad Thom. He and his brother Harry, 3 have Albinism. “It’s like looking at the world with low pixels. Max has to get up close to see things and he uses magnifiers,” says his mum Bronwyn.
The family regularly goes on bike rides at the weekends. “Max was struggling to give up his training wheels on a regular bike, then we tried a tandem bike shown to us by a staff member from Vision Australia. We got some funding together and bought one a couple of months ago,” said Bronwyn.
Thom is the pilot and sits at the front of the bike. Max is the stoker and sits behind his dad. Harry gets to ride along with Bronwyn on a bike seat, while sister Lily, 9 rides independently.
“Max really enjoys going for a bike ride and it is great for developing his muscle tone. Even if it is just popping up the road for a swim,” Bronwyn said.
Max and his family have been receiving help and advice from Vision Australia since he was just a couple of months old. “Vision Australia has been a god send for us. Just having a regular, familiar person to give us pointers and confidence that we are doing the right thing, really makes a difference. We know they will be there for us ongoing,” said Bronwyn.
For more information about how you can find a tandem bike riding group near you, talk to your Vision Australia contact or touch base with @Blind Sports Australia on their Facebook page or by emailing [email protected]