Double amputee Nate Denofre is canoeing the entire length of the Mississippi River to inspire people with physical impairments and prove that the only disability is fear.
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Tag: Sports & Recreation
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Shaquem Griffin Schools New Grads on Adversity
He’s the only amputee ever selected in the National Football League draft. And on Saturday, Shaquem Griffin added his name to another short list: amputees who’ve given a university commencement address.
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Fear of Heights
Born without her left arm below the elbow, Kaitlin Heatherly struggled with shaky confidence and low self-esteem until very recently.
Instagram Amputees: Justin Oliver Davis
This dude works so hard. Seems like he never runs completely out of energy. He posts regularly. He writes thoughtful captions that stick with us. And whoever shoots his images does a wonderful job. The pictures are gorgeous.
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1st Person: My First 10K as an Amputee
We got a lot of positive feedback last month on Angie Heuser’s first-person story about learning to surf. So we asked her if we could share another episode from her life — this time about the trials of her first 10K race post-amputation. Both articles come from her blog, Stepping Out in Faith. Thanks, Angie,...
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Exercise May Help Fight Depression in Seniors
Kinesiologists at McMaster University have found that physical activity may help fight depression in seniors by stimulating muscle-generated mood boosters. The findings, published in the American Journal of Physiology—Cell Physiology, reveal that the underlying mechanisms that make us feel good when we exercise persist into old age and highlight the importance of staying active. “A...
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Amputation Level Affects Child’s Physical, Sports Function
Sports and physical functioning of children with amputations were significantly worse after amputations near the knee when compared with ankle-level amputations, according to a study published in the January issue of the Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics. Researchers considered whether children with amputations have differences in subjective function based on amputationlevel and whether children with more...
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Female Double Amputee Plans to Complete NYC Full Marathon
Brazilian athlete and bilateral lower-limb amputee Adriele Silva, 31, looks forward to crossing the finish line at mile 26.2 of the 2018 TCS New York City (NYC) Marathon on Sunday, November 4. “I hope to inspire people when they see me run and challenge them to go after things that seem unachievable,” said Silva, who...
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San Diego Triathlon Challenge Weekend Scheduled for October 19-21
As part of the Challenged Athletes Foundation’s (CAF’s) 25th anniversary celebration, the 2018 Aspen Medical Products San Diego Triathlon Challenge (SDTC) weekend will be held from October 19-21 in La Jolla, California. The weekend will culminate with Sunday’s title event, which features a one-mile ocean swim, 44-mile bike ride, and ten-mile run. “This day brings...
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New Prosthetic Ankle Adapts to Rough Terrain and Stairs
Sasser tests the prosthetic ankle. Photograph courtesy of Vanderbilt University. The Vanderbilt University lab of Michael Goldfarb, PhD, has completed testing of a smart prosthetic ankle that can respond to varying terrain and stairs. The ankle’s motor, actuator, sensors, and chip work together to either conform to the surface the foot is contacting or remain...
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Adaptive Sports Festival Scheduled for June 21-24
The fourth annual Angel City Games will be held June 21-24 at the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA). The event will offer five adaptive sports competitions, five sports clinics, an awards gala, a family cookout, a celebrity wheelchair basketball game, a fun zone for kids, and more. Image by Chris Brooks Photography. Launched in 2015 and sanctioned by Adaptive Sports USA, Angel City...
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OPAF Names Champion Triathlete Director of First Swim
Costa, right, with a First Swim participant. Photograph courtesy of OPAF. The Orthotic & Prosthetic Activities Foundation (OPAF) named Mabio Costa to the role of First Swim Director. Costa, who has a congenital transtibial amputation, is a prosthetic technician with Prosthetic Orthotic Associates in Orlando, Florida. He has been a First Swim instructor since 2011,...
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Challenged Athletes Foundation Announces Distribution of 2,806 Grants
The Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) announced unprecedented financial support through its annual grant programs, which provide financial assistance for adaptive sports equipment, specialized running prostheses, coaching, mentoring, travel, and competition expenses for individuals with physical challenges of all ages and levels who wish to live active lifestyles and compete in sports. Logan Passe. Image courtesy...
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Registration Open for Turnstone Endeavor Games
Registration is now through April 13 for the Turnstone Endeavor Games, an opportunity for athletes with physical disabilities to participate in various sporting events on a competitive level. The Games are scheduled for April 20-22 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Photograph courtesy of the Turnstone Endeavor Games. The Turnstone Endeavor Games is the first competitive weekend...
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Study Suggests Cancer Survivors Are More Easily Fatigued
Adults who have undergone successful cancer treatment years or decades ago become fatigued more quickly than their peers who don’t have cancer histories, according to a new study in the journal Cancer from scientists at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHSPH). The scientists examined data from a long-running study of normal aging, which included periodic...
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Oksana Masters Named Allianz Athlete of the Month for January
US Nordic skier Oksana Masters has been voted the Allianz Athlete of the Month for January. Masters dominated the women’s sitting category at the World Para Nordic Skiing World Cup in Oberried, Germany. She swept all the cross-country races and two of the three biathlon events.Masters received 48 percent of the public votes. To watch...
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Hanger Charitable Foundation Awards Last Round of 2017 Grants
The Hanger Charitable Foundation, Austin, Texas, has completed its third and final round of 2017 grant awards, giving $140,900 to five non-profit organizations, bringing the Foundation’s total awards granted for the year to more than $250,000. Grants were given to the following: No Limits Limb Loss Foundation, Camp No Limits Kids Scholarships: $100,000 to provide scholarships for...
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Amputee Coalition Announces New Board Members, Leadership Shifts
The Amputee Coalition announced that John Register and William Passig Perno, MBA, have been named to the board of directors for a three-year term. Board leadership shifts include John “Mo” Kenney, CPO/L, FAAOP, stepping into the role of board chair, and Jeff Cain, MD, serving as vice chair. Register Perno is vice president/COO of Mount...
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Curbell Plastics Sponsors First Clinics
Curbell Plastics Inc., Orchard Park, New York, sponsored Orthotic and Prosthetic Activities Foundation (OPAF) First Dance and First Stride events in Dallas on November 18. The events were held at the Bachman Therapeutic Recreation Center in partnership with the University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical School. First Dance uses ballroom dancing as a means to...
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I?mPOSSIBLE Program Goes Global
To mark the United Nations Day of Persons with Disabilities, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and its development arm the Agitos Foundation are launching I’mPOSSIBLE, a global education program that aims to promote social inclusion by raising awareness of the Paralympic Movement. Implementation of the I’mPossible program in Japan. Image courtesy of the Nippon Foundation...
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Thousands Watch and Participate in 24th Annual CAF Triathlon
Athletes, supporters, fundraisers, volunteers, and more than 50 sponsors participated in the 24th annual Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) Aspen Medical Products San Diego Triathlon Challenge (SDTC) at La Jolla Cove, October 20-22. More than $1 million was raised over the weekend, making it one of the most successful events in the organization’s history. The funds...
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Hanger Charitable Foundation Awards More 2017 Grants
The Hanger Charitable Foundation, Austin, Texas, has completed its second round of 2017 grant awards, giving $56,500 to six nonprofit organizations, as follows: Austin Blades Sled Hockey, Sled Hockey for Individuals with Physical Challenges: $5,000 to support adaptive sled hockey camps and tournaments Challenged Athletes Foundation, Access for Athletes: $25,000 to provide adaptive sports equipment, coaching, mentoring and...
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Soldier Credits Adaptive Sports for Recovery
Army Spc. Stephanie Morris added a gold medal in discus, a silver in shot put, and a bronze in handcycle in the women’s track and field competition in her disability category at the 2017 Invictus Games. Morris powers a hand cycle at the 2017 Invictus Games. DOD photo by EJ Hersom. The appearance of U.S....
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Thousands of Athletes Compete at the World Rowing Championships in Florida
Roughly 42,000 spectators and athletes from around the world attended the 2017 World Rowing Championships in Sarasota, Florida, in September. It was the first time in 23 years that the event, which included Olympic and Paralympic events, was held in the United States. More than 1,700 athletes representing 69 countries went for the gold in...
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VA Awards Grants for Adaptive Sports Programs
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has awarded $8 million in grants for adaptive sports programs that will benefit veterans and members of the armed forces with disabilities. The VA will distribute the grants to 96 national, regional, and community programs serving all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. About 10,000 veterans and...
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OPAF Announces New Advisory Board Members
The Orthotic & Prosthetic Activities Foundation (OPAF) recently named new members to its advisory board: Adrianne Haslet, professional ballroom dancer and First Dance instructor, Boston; Tommy Lyon, national paraclimber and First Climb instructor, Pottstown, Pennsylvania; Anne Weiland, CTRS, team leader of recreation therapy at Moss Rehab, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania; Zita Upchurch, RN, consulting and billing...
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Hundreds Attend Professional Baseball Game and Mobility Clinics
Nearly 100 people attended an Össur-hosted night at the Louisville Bats vs. Indianapolis Indians minor league baseball game during the recent Amputee Coalition National Conference (ACNC). Jake Adams, who has an upper-limb amputation, threw out the opening pitch of the game, and Logan Seitz had the honor of calling “Play Ball!” Össur hosted the...
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2020 Paralympics Information Announced
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has announced that the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games will feature 4,400 athletes who will compete in 537 medal events. The final medal event program and athlete quotas were approved by the IPC Governing Board on September 4. Key highlights include:• At least 1,756 slots for female athletes, the most ever,...
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Wounded Soldier Finds Peace, Prepares for Invictus Games
Jody Mitic takes in a large, almost exaggerated, breath of fresh air as he sits in an open expanse near the edge of Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan. Jody Mitic lights the torch at the 2017 Invictus Spirit Flame ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Kabul, Afghanistan. Image by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Regina Edwards....