CANADIAN MEDICAL INVENTION TAKES TOP PRIZE AT MEDTRADE 2000
iWALKFree… the Hands-Free Crutch wins Best New Product Award
ORLANDO, Florida – June 14, 2000 – CANADALEG INC. is pleased to announce that its revolutionary iWALKFree…the Hands-Free Crutch was the recipient of the New Product Pavilion’s Award of Distinction at Medtrade 2000, the world’s largest home healthcare trade show. One of three awards given to new products, the Distinction Award is presented to a product “which significantly improves the quality of life of patients”. iWALKFree was selected by a panel of judges from over 150 new products and was presented at a special reception in Orlando on October 3, 2000.
“This is an incredible honour and very gratifying,” says inventor Lance Matthews, who created the hands-free crutch two years ago after sustaining a severe lower-leg injury. “Now that the product is on the market, the response from patient is overwhelmingly positive. But it is wonderful to be recognized by professionals in the field.”
Walt Goldsby, Director of Sales of VNU Expositions Atlanta Group, which produces Medtrade, says “Not only [did the three winners] rise to the top of a highly competitive group of new product entries, they set the standard for New Product Pavilion Award winners in years to come.”
iWALKFree, launched in Canada on June 8th, 2000, has already met with enthusiastic response from such users as Cody Ledbbetter, of the CFL team Hamilton Tiger Cats and American surgeon Dr. Robert Shallman of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Pasco, who was able to perform his regular surgical duties as while on the device.
“iWALKFree has allowed me to continue with virtually all my regular workouts, says Ledbetter. “I’m convinced that it will get me back into the game sooner.”
“This device is one of the most fantastic, original, insightful and important medical innovations of recent years,” says Dr. Richard. [It] has allowed me to maintain my job, my family, and my sanity despite a nasty injury.”
Canada’s national news magazine, Maclean’s, recently included inventor Lance Matthews as a “meritorious nominee” in its recent cover story on Canadians who have impacted the world because of iWALKFree’s enormous potential in helping landmine victims.