News
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Preserving Dignity by Gaining Mobility
April 26th 2022
Amadou Diallo immigrated from West Africa to the USA in May of 2021. Shortly after arriving, Amadou become a below-knee amputee in September of 2021 after complications following the amputation of 2 toes due to a plantar ulcer. He describes the decision to amputate as, “A sad situation” but one he agreed…
Rocking It: How a New Amputee is Embracing Change
April 25th 2022
Jillian Kerr is a proud Mom of 3 boys; One 7-year-old and twins that are 3 years old. She also has two beautiful stepdaughters that are 17 and 7 years old. It was November 12th, 2021, when Jillian found herself facing multiple injuries from a car accident. Her injuries would…
Tips for Diabetic Foot Care
March 22nd 2022
Diabetic foot care is essential as diabetes can be dangerous to your feet—even a small cut can produce serious consequences. Diabetes may cause nerve damage that takes away the feeling in your feet. Diabetes may also reduce blood flow to the feet, making it harder to heal an injury or…
Kody Hancock: Life Can Continue
March 21st 2022
Kody Hancock’s life has been marked by his resilience, strong work ethic, can-do attitude, and determination. It was these character qualities that led to him landing a manufacturing job he was quite proud of. He initially got brought on as a temp, then was hired on full time, only to…
Dwayne Smith: Your Life, Your Story
March 20th 2022
Dwayne is a 41-year-old below knee amputee. He has been an Amputee since late October of 2018. He has always been active once having played semi pro football. He currently is a T-Ball coach and Direct Support Specialist for adults with developmental disabilities. His life is full, with three loving…
Jerry Minor: A Life of Dedication
March 19th 2022
We often wrongly think that age is a limiting factor and that our youth is the time when we shine brightest and make the greatest impact. However, that isn’t the case for Optimus patient Jerry Minor. In fact, Jerry’s life at the age of 71 is shining as brightly as…
George West: Do What You Love
March 18th 2022
George West is a 75 year old amputee. He lost his right leg below the knee at the age of 39. His sense of humor and spunk are really on display when he talks about his age, “I am now a 75-year-old who really enjoys not worrying much about what…
Grace Norman: A Recap and Thank You
December 17th 2021
In August of this year, Optimus patient Grace Norman became a source of inspiration as she demonstrated grit and strength by finishing with a silver medal in the triathlon at the Tokyo Paralympic games. Although there were many setbacks throughout the last year and a half, Grace persevered. After the…
Winter Weather Fall Prevention – Tips for Amputees
December 16th 2021
The cold is setting in and wintery weather is upon us. Do you know what to do to prevent slipping and falling? Seemingly simple, everyday actions such as going out for the mail, stepping out of a car in a parking lot, or going on an afternoon walk can suddenly…
Aiming for the Furthest Place
November 10th 2021
How an Iraq veteran, wounded at twenty, has accepted the journey of living his life as an amputee
It was while on active duty in Iraq in 2007 that Sergeant Joel Dulashanti was seriously wounded. He was placed into a coma because of the mass trauma he sustained. It would…