Linda's Dream to Play the Flute | 50 Years of Clever Ideas #6
Linda Smith has always loved music and dreamed of playing the flute. But when she was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, that dream became difficult. Although she could still move her hands and fingers normally, the muscles in her upper arms and shoulders were too weak to hold the flute up—unless she was lying back.
Linda had worked with Freedom Solutions in Victoria (then called TAD-VIC) before, so she reached out again for help. She wanted to play the flute while sitting upright. Volunteer Don Allison took on the challenge.
After more than 200 hours of designing and building, Don created a special device to help Linda play. The support system holds both the flute and Linda’s left arm in just the right position. It rests on a plank across her wheelchair and includes padded arm supports and a holder for the flute. Everything can be adjusted to match the player’s body and preferred playing position.
In fact, the setup allows for 25 different adjustments—including nine for the left arm, six for the flute, and ten for the right arm—so it can work for many people, not just Linda.
Don used clever tools like pre-drilled holes, sliding rods with clamps, and adjustable plates to make everything flexible. A photo of Linda using the device was even published in the Melbourne Sun News Pictorial on 17 October 1989.
After the article was released, a professional flautist from the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra phoned Don and told him the flute’s positioning was “perfect.”
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