StrollMates Cane Wear Coordinates was established by Connie Quinn-Vaillant and Jack Vaillant as the result of an idea to create a beautiful fashion accessory for a walking cane. It is no longer necessary to settle for a clinical-looking metal cane or a simple wooden stick! Now self-expression and coordination with your clothing can be easily acheived while walking safely!

It started when my cousin, who has had MS for a number of years, began to show me her "cane collection." I couldn’t believe it - she had a bouquet of canes! In spite of having several colours, she still could not match them to most outfits. I thought there had to be a better way!

Then recently, there were a number of incidents of falls in my family. My mother has been dealing with osteoporosis and in the last three years has fractured her spine in several places, her kneecap and her hip (needing emergency surgery) each one, due to a fall. My father, also went through a series of falls due to a spine injury. Then, to really drive the message home, I read headlines in a pension newsletter that stated, "60% of the deaths of seniors are precipitated by a fall." Wow, that's an incredible number!

Then it became important to me that people recognize the need to use a cane for their own safety. Prevention should be paramount! But, I also recognized that many people are reluctant to use a cane. So, what if a cane were a beautiful fashion accessory? Would many more people choose to walk safely using StrollMates? The response was a definite “Yes!”

As a former "Home Economics" teacher, I began working with my sewing machine and the fabrics I had on hand. Jack made some good practical suggestions and we began refining our process. Soon, we were out selecting materials that would be just right for our purposes. Then, we set about crafting a few sets, and were rewarded by all the positive comments we received.

Our goal is to provide a fashion accessory that brings pride and confidence and promotes safety for the user.

A portion of every sale will be donated to the Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Heart & Stroke Foundation.