Par
Aurélien Burban
Published on
Jan 15, 2025 at 6:10 p.m.
A sigh of relief! Finally. The Pontivyen Antoine Lepioufle now benefits from more than valuable help: a robotic arm. To acquire it, he had to go through a long obstacle course…
Jaco, an arm that changes his life
Since his childhood, Antoine has suffered from spinal muscular atrophy type 3a neuromuscular disease. So, he lives in a wheelchair, and cannot use his own hands for many of his daily actions.
A year and a half ago, he met Jaco, a robotic arm which changes his life. It allows him to have a drink, eat, read a book, or even “shake hands”. On several occasions, he is invited by the company that manufactures this product to test it. It is therefore only a temporary solution to improve your everyday life.
If Antoine wants to keep this third arm permanently, he must pay 65 000 €. As he proclaims: “It costs an arm and a leg!” »
@pontivyjournal Antoine is €28,000 short of benefiting from a robotic arm. He tells us about his story. #disability #armchair #raredisease
♬ original sound – Pontivy Journal
Raise €65,000
To raise all this money, Antoine is calling on generosity, through multiple events, and a leetchi prize pool. To begin with, ultra-trailer Bernard Dufour runs 100 km during the 2023 Gulf Ultra Marine to raise awareness about the situation of the young Pontivyian.
In 2024, aboard a joëlette, Antoine takes part in the Nantes Marathon to look for new sponsors. “It was great!” I want to do it again! »
@alepioufle On 04/21 it was the #marathondenantes – back in pictures of the team made up of Paul, Maxime, Coco & me in the chair for La Main Tendue 56! An experience rich in thrills and emotions. Well done guys you did it, WE did it and in less than 4 hours! Thanks to the sponsors @Baldertech @ACA France Allianz Guémené @Quintessia-resort Auto Moto Pontivy Karreg auto Endurance Shop Pontivy #marathon #marathondenantes2024 #running #42km #wheelchairlife #courir #courseapied #loireatlantique #course #runner #run #nopainogain #runningmotivation #runninglife #disability #disabledsport #handi #handicap #sponsors #coursesolidaire #insta360
♬ son original – Antoine Lepioufle
“I had to make an advance of €15,000”
An association was also founded to follow his adventure: La main tende 56, of which he is president. Antoine even creates the festival Ale’Chemistwhich brings together multiple brewers at the Safire hall, organized on September 28 and 29. He even shook hands, thanks to Jaco, with the President of the National Assembly, Yaël Braun-Pivet, during a duoday with the deputy for the third constituency of Morbihan, Nicole Le Peih.
@alepioufle About yesterday… #duoday I participated in duoday yesterday with @nicole.le.peih, MP for the 3rd constituency of Morbihan. A day full of encounters, sometimes chance, other times planned. I particularly note the exchanges with Ms. the President of the National Assembly @yael.braunpivet, Mr. Baptiste Portail, advisor to the Minister for Disability Ms. @fadilakhattabi or even Mr. @speytavie, deputy for Dordogne and Co-president of the study group Disability and inclusion. I was able to discover the National Assembly, its architecture, its history, its functioning. It was an opportunity for me to experience for a few hours the life led by 577 elected officials of the republic. The opportunity also and above all to communicate about the Jaco arm, its capacities, its functionalities, its cost, its non-coverage by Social Security. I was able to attend part of the session at the assembly on an interesting and oh-so-essential subject, particularly when like me we are disabled, namely the vote on the social security finance bill of 2024 (part recipe). Debate which concluded a few hours later with the activation of 49.3 by the Prime Minister (the 18th since June 2022). #duoday #HANDICAP #JACO #AUTONOMY #inclusion #national assembly #legislative power #5th Republic #france #elisabethborne
♬ son original – Antoine Lepioufle
All these efforts are not in vain. Finally, thanks to the help of surrounding associations or even the Department and Pontivy Community, Antoine manages to raise the sum, or almost.
I had to make an advance of €15,000 because there are funds that I have not yet received.
He has now used Jaco every day since November 4.
A short film broadcast in March
Thanks to this third arm, Antoine performs gestures that were impossible for him until now. After working in the Pontivy Community premises for two years, this BTS insurance graduate is looking for a job.
I would like to work in the audiovisual field. I really like writing too.
Moreover, one of his projects is being finalized. He has just produced a 25-minute short film which summarizes his story: Jaco, the adventure begins. “It’s not a chronological sequence of what I experienced. It’s a real work of creation, of editing,” he explains.
I try to avoid heroization. I consider that there is nothing exceptional in what I have achieved, just a lot of work and a combination of circumstances. I'm not trying to inspire viewers. I just want to tell my story and inform and question.
This short film will be screened at the Rex cinema on Saturday 1is mars.
Participate in the Marathon des Sables
Furthermore, Antoine would like to realize another dream: participating in the Marathon des sables. “I would love to participate for the challenge, the setting, even if it is more complicated logistically. »
But impossible is nothing for the Pontivyen: “During the 2024 edition, the organizers created a circuit for disabled people. So if I want to take part, all I have to do is find sponsors and runners. »
Finally, as president of La main tende 56, Antoine wants to continue the fight. “There are so many people who have difficulties in their daily lives and who would like to get this arm. Especially since it has increased in value: €6,000 more in 2024. It's a mountain to which we add a summit! »
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