Britta and Steve Richter are husband and wife who live in Minneapolis, Minnesota. While the Richter’s lead a normal life by every means of measurement, Britta has from birth, been challenged with a condition known as Spina Bifida. This condition causes paralysis of the legs and subsequently keeps Britta from being able to stand and walk as she otherwise would. For most, this reality could keep them from reaching their goals but Britta isn’t like most; she is committed to pressing on and her faith is strong. While she may not be able to stand herself, it is clear to us that little can stand in her way.

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Before meeting her husband Steve, Britta lived on her own, independently. She uses a mobility scooter to get around her house which is modified for accessibility. Modifications including ramps, widened doorways, automobiles with hand controls and easy-to-roll on floors are just a few measures the Richter's have taken to make Britta's life more accessible.

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Most recently, the Richter's received what is perhaps the biggest blessing that anyone could ask for – they became the parents of a beautiful son named Sam.

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As many people who have disabilities realize, becoming a parent carries with it a whole new set of accessibility challenges. These challenges are very unique to them and in many cases they don’t have the luxury of mass marketed products to help them. One of those challenges includes a simple thing that most people take for granted and that is, transferring their child into and out of their crib.  

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Britta explains: "We were using a Pack’n Play for the longest time and it wasn't working really well.” This is because Britta was unable to reach down into the Pack’n Play while holding Sam. People whose legs are paralyzed have to hold onto something when leaning over, if not, they can’t lean forward because they become unstable. The problem dramatically worsens when handling a baby because both hands are occupied and cannot be used to assist with stabilization.

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A friend from church told Britta about the PediaLift Crib that they found online. Soon thereafter, Britta began corresponding with PediaLift and the company advocated for Britta by submitting her insurance claim and conducting multiple appeals until her insurance company eventually agreed to purchase Britta her PediaLift Crib.

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After what seemed to be a very long time, Britta's PediaLift Crib arrived at her house in Minnesota. Her husband Steve, along with church friends, uncrated it and rolled it into Sam's nursery for use. “I think I cried the first night I was able to put him in bed by myself - that was after he was already 10 months old. I just kept thinking, i haven't been able to do this without help"  Britta explained.

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The PediaLift Crib has served as a key factor in Britta’s quest to parent her son Sam. It allows her to independently put Sam to sleep when its bedtime and also pick him up when he’s done sleeping. The crib lifts up from the ground to a level that is ergonomic for Britta. The doors then open and allow her to reach for Sam without having to lean downward. After placing Sam in the crib, the PediaLift Crib is then lowered back to the ground.

 

Referring to the PediaLift Crib’s lifting system and sliding doors Britta says “the design is just ingenious…we love it!”

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​During an in-person interview with Britta, she assures that her "condition was no accident" as she has faith that God has a plan for her life and that this is part of it. In full agreement with Britta’s idea that a larger purpose exists, we at PediaLift are sincerely honored to be a part of that plan.