People with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) often face physical barriers limiting access and opportunity, yet our community is incredibly resilient and adept at finding creative solutions to overcome these challenges. These obstacles, often centered around mobility limitations and chronic pain, are familiar territory for many of us. But Rita Ebel, the focus of the new Chronic Pain Partners (CPP) short film Lego Oma, has found one of the most innovative ways to fix inaccessibility: she builds wheelchair ramps from Lego!
Ebel, who uses a wheelchair due to a spinal cord injury, has built over 100 ramps across Europe to create access for disabled people into buildings. But more importantly, her ramps are works of art that spark conversations around the need for accessibility—conversations that many non-disabled people might otherwise overlook. These colorful, eye-catching ramps help navigate inaccessible spaces and send a message of visibility and inclusivity to the world around her.
For those in the EDS community, particularly those who rely on mobility aids like wheelchairs, Rita’s story offers both inspiration and solidarity. The struggle for accessible spaces is something many in the EDS world are familiar with—whether it’s entering a shop, attending an event, trying to get into a doctor’s office, or just navigating everyday life. Much like Rita, people with EDS often advocate for changes that should already exist and find creative ways to overcome obstacles that able-bodied individuals might take for granted.
Lego Oma is more than a film about one woman’s inventive solution to a problem. Her ramps, built from thousands of colorful Lego pieces, serve as metaphors for the small, persistent efforts required to break down the systemic barriers faced by people with disabilities, including those with EDS. People with disabilities are the most significant minority in the world. According to the World Health Organization, 15 percent of the global population is disabled. In the Western Hemisphere, the number climbs to 20 percent—rising even higher in the U.S., where one in four people have a disability. Despite these numbers, media representation falls far short. Disabled people are underrepresented not only in front of the camera but also behind the scenes. Whether in fiction or documentary films, disability is rarely discussed, and even when it is, portrayals are often steeped in harmful stereotypes.
Misrepresentation in the media sends a wrong message to non-disabled audiences and, worse, affects how disabled individuals perceive themselves. That’s why it’s crucial to focus on accurate representation. Moving pictures shape our worldview and how we see each other, making journalists essential in eradicating misconceptions about disability. This is why Chronic Pain Partners lives by the motto, “Nothing about us without us.” CPP believes disabled people should tell their own stories.
Chronic Pain Partners is working on several documentary films and educational videos, all aimed at raising awareness about chronic illnesses and disabilities, focusing on Ehlers-Danlos syndromes and other pain-related conditions.
Lego Oma is only the beginning. Director Karina Sturm, who is part of the EDS community, ensures that the story is told authentically, capturing Rita’s life with humor, heart, and the grit it takes to live as a disabled person in a world that often overlooks accessibility. In a way, watching Rita build those ramps brick by brick feels like a reflection of the daily victories people with EDS achieve, no matter how small they seem. So, if you’re looking for an uplifting, empowering film that showcases resilience and the fight for accessibility, Lego Oma is a must-watch.
If you’d like to help Chronic Pain Partners in their mission to support disabled talent in telling their own stories, please watch Lego Oma here:
Learn more about Rita in this article:
