17-Year-Old Approved for Wheelchair after Year-Long Fight

17-year-old Christopher Thielges from East Tennessee almost always has a big smile across his face. He’s a student at Signal Mountain High School who loves photography and spending time with his peers. His mom, Lowry Thielges, agrees that “his smile and his laugh are what people love most about him.”

Christopher was born prematurely with Spastic Quadriplegia Cerebral Palsy, a physical disability that affects his upper and lower body mobility. He navigates the world in a wheelchair, uses assistive technology to communicate with his family and friends, and relies on other adults for most activities of his daily life.

Lowry, a retired Special-Ed teacher, adopted Christopher from the Department of Children’s Services (DCS) custody back in 2015: “He moved in when he was four years old, and it took about three years for his adoption to become official. That’s where our story starts,” Lowry says.

For individuals with disabilities that affect their ability to stand independently, mobility aids like standers provide important health benefits. Standing can relieve physical pressure, help prevent complications such as hip dislocation and bone fractures, and support healthy circulation, digestion, and musculoskeletal function. For years, Christopher relied on a manual stander that required two adults to assist him from sitting to standing and could only be used at home. At school or during longer outings, he had no choice but to remain seated.

Last year, Lowry applied for a complex power standing wheelchair from TennCare, a non-duplicative piece of durable medical equipment that provides users with independent, safe, and frequent access to standing throughout the day. Power standers allow for meaningful social integration, promote independence, and give users the dignity to navigate the world on their own terms.

“He can only stand at home on his manual stander,” Lowry explains, “the complex standing wheelchair is beneficial for medical reasons as well as personal and recreational reasons. He goes to overnight camp during the summer and our family travels quite a bit. With the standing wheelchair, even during a long drive we can change his position.”

TennCare denied the application, claiming the power wheelchair wasn’t a medically necessary intervention. Lowry went through the appeals process unrepresented.

“I didn’t understand any of the legal jargon,” Lowry voices. "I've worked with children with disabilities my whole life. We purposefully adopted a child with a disability. We’ve taken the financial burden off Tennessee by welcoming Christopher into our home. That’s what’s frustrating. TennCare is making these decisions, and they have no idea how it impacts the family.”

Lowry found the Tennessee Justice Center through a Disability Advocates Facebook Group: “I reached out to the Tennessee Justice Center and that’s when Emily Jenkins took over and thank the dear Lord she did.” TJC’s Staff Attorney Emily worked closely with the Thielges family and the wheelchair manufacturer, assisting the family with obtaining the correct language to resubmit the request.

“Up to the hearing I thought it was so obvious, but I didn’t understand the legal part of it. It was so helpful to have someone on my side who understands that side of it,” Lowry remarks. 

Upon resubmittal, the $100,000 wheelchair was approved by TennCare. 

Today, Christopher is getting the hang of his power-standing wheelchair. “It has improved his life so much already. I hope that he becomes as independent as possible, to be able not to have to rely on adults for every little thing he needs, to be able to move however he wishes.”

Pictured left: Christopher Thielges, 17, gets the hang of his power standing chair and newfound independence in Weightlifting and Shop class at Signal Mountain Highschool.