CAF grantee Daniel Stoner mountain biking with his prosthetic leg. Image courtesy of Daniel Stoner.
The Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) awarded a record number of grants this year through its annual Access for Athletes program, which provides financial assistance for adaptive sports equipment, training, and competition expenses for athletes of all ages and abilities who wish to live active lifestyles.
Through the 2016 grant distribution-the largest in the organization’s 23-year history-2,098 challenged athletes in 32 countries are receiving a variety of grants representing more than $3.7 million in support. The grants empower individuals to take part in life-affirming sports and fill an important void that otherwise can leave challenged athletes on the sidelines. Adaptive sports equipment is expensive and not typically covered by medical insurance, which means many athletes with the desire to be active are not able to function at their highest ability.
Like Richard Sarinana, each grantee has a unique story. In 2005 at the age of 16, Sarinana was a thriving baseball and basketball athlete who enjoyed being active in his daily life. On a casual walk home, he heard tires skidding behind him, and before he could react, he was pinned between a car and a brick wall. After numerous surgeries, a below-knee amputation was the only solution. A few years later he had a son; when the boy began walking and running, Sarinana quickly realized he wouldn’t be able to keep up with him without the right equipment. He wanted his son to grow up with a life centered around sports as he had. After being introduced to CAF and participating at an Össur Running & Mobility Clinic presented by CAF, Sarinana was provided the information and skills to make that goal a reality. With his CAF grant, Sarinana will be able to keep up with his now 3-year-old son and 1-year-old daughter.
“I’ve been waiting for this opportunity to come, and now that it has, I can take my life into a new direction,” Sarinana said about receiving the grant. “No excuses for not being able to run comfortably now that I’ll be receiving my Össur Flex-Run prosthetic. Thank you very much CAF for this great blessing.”
“Any individual who has a physical challenge should never feel like they don’t have the proper support or opportunities to succeed in life,” said CAF CEO Bill Geppert. “At CAF, we are proud to be able to provide those life-changing opportunities to thousands of challenged athletes around the world, so they can pursue an active lifestyle through sports, resulting in a greater sense of independence, self-esteem, and overall quality of life.”
For more information, visit www.challengedathletes.org.
This article was adapted from information provided by CAF.