While at the University of New Hampshire, Emma Graham, 25 of Manchester, NH, suffered a stroke which led to her right leg being amputated above the knee. While I was recovering at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital/Catholic Medical Center? from losing my leg, I had the opportunity to meet Emma. We helped each other stay motivated through a lot of the ups and downs that are inevitable when recovering.
When we started The Born to Run Foundation, I knew I wanted to help young people like Emma receive prosthetics that will enable them to continue to be active. In March 2019, I had the opportunity to present Emma with a waterproof prosthesis at Spaulding Rehabilitation Center, where she now pays it forward by volunteering her time in the pediatric unit. With the waterproof prosthetic, Emma has been able to go to the beach and walk into the water with ease. During the event Emma said, “All I wanted when I was recovering was to be on the beach and go in the water.”
Dr. David Crandell, Medical Director of the Amputee Program at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, attended the event and talked about how special the relationship was between Emma and I as it showed the importance of peer visitation and support among young amputees.
Emma’s waterproof prosthesis was made by Next Step Bionics & Prosthetics. This was the second donation the Foundation made.