June Newsletter Vol. 5 Issue 6 Junior Team A Step Ahead Excels at Empire State Games  Jake Lillis, Julia Brietenbach, James Lozano, Victoria Cutrone-Foley, Robert Berger, Cate Hughes and Alexandra Capellini all competed at the annual New York Empire State Games for the Physically Challenged at Mitchell Athletic Field and Nassau Community College. The junior team competed in track and field events, swimming and archery. In addition to the great competition they all enjoyed being part of a team, supporting each other at their events and sharing in each others triumphs. The athletes were coached and supported by Amy Palmiero-Winters and Michael LaForgia who also gave the keynote speech at the opening ceremonies for the games.
Amputee Support Groups The next ASPIRE support group meeting will be held on Wednesday June 25 at 6:15 pm at the Hospital for Special Surgery located at 535 East 70th Street, NY. For more information about the ASPIRE support group contact Charlie Steele at charlieatl@aol.com or (212) 877-7050 New York-Presbyterian Hospital Amputee Education and Support Group
Every First Friday of the Month 9-11 AM Hoyt Board Room Children’s Hospital of New York in Room 121, 3959 Broadway New York, NY 10032. (Enter on West 167th and Broadway at the glass Energy Court) For further information and to RSVP, please contact Annette Ward at 212-305-3964 The Long Island amputee support group meets the first Saturday of each month at South Side Hospital, 301 East Main Street in Bayshore. If you are interested in joining this group contact Jodi Adler at 631-968-3330. Mobility Clinic Join Dave Balsley, P.T. and Phil Kreuter, P.T. at the Jericho High School track on Long Island for their monthly mobility clinic at 10 am on Sunday June 15. They will provide instruction in gait training and running techniques as well as advanced mobility skills. Dave and Phil have extensive experience working with amputees of all ages and activity levels. Come work out with world class athletes and learn from experienced coaches and physical therapists. The setting is relaxed and enjoyable. There is no pressure, come learn and see what you can do to improve yourself or just watch. For more information and directions to the mobility clinic, please call the office at 516-681-3484.
Asael Shabo – After 6 Years Without a leg! In only 4 Days Walking, Running, & Cycling!
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| Asael Shabo learning how to walk. |
Asael Shabo, a 15 year old boy from Israel whose right leg was amputated above the knee more then 6 years ago from a terrorist attack, recently returned to his home in Israel after spending a week at A Step Ahead Prosthetics. In 2002, his family's home was attacked. During the shooting which caused his above knee amputation, his mother and 3 of his sisters were murdered. Asael has spent the last 5 ½ years without a prosthesis. Shlomo Nimrodi, one of our above knee amputees and a member of Team Step Ahead, met Asael in Israel a year ago and became his mentor and was determined to bring him to the United States to A Step Ahead. In the past year Shlomo met him several times and showed him how he uses his running and biking legs. Asael was very excited with what he saw and agreed to come to the United States to A Step Ahead.
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| Asael Shabo Running for the First Time |
Thanks to the fund raising efforts of TIKVOT - a non-profit organization in Israel that assists victims of terror, ETGARIM - an Israeli organization that assists children and adults with "special needs" in rehabilitation through sports, and the One Family Fund - another Israeli based organization that provided the majority of the funding for Asael's walking and running prostheses, Asael spent one week at A Step Ahead. He made amazing progress. On the 3rd day, he was walking independently and on the 4th day, he was running with a custom running leg and riding a stationary bicycle. On the last day at A Step Ahead, he was excited to return home to his family and friends and begin a new chapter in his life of functional independence. When asked what he learned while he was in New York and at A Step Ahead he responded, "Life is hard, but if I want something I can do it"
Team A Step Ahead  A recent addition to the growing roster of Team A Step Ahead is Andy Hatcher. Andy is a marine who is a veteran of the Iraq war. Andy suffered injuries to his right leg on Thanksgiving Day 2004 when his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device (IED), which led to the amputation of his leg below the knee. Five months after his amputation, he rode 450 miles in 7 days in a non-profit ride from Washington D.C. to New York City. Andy competes in running, cycling and triathlon. He is currently focused on cycling with his goal of making the US Paralympic team in road racing and time trial events. On May 3, Kelly Bruno competed in the White Lake ½ Ironman in North Carolina. Kelly’s time of 6:14.45 placed her 80th out of 194 female triathletes. Kelly’s next big event is the International Triathlon Union world championships in Vancouver on June 7. Also representing Team A Step Ahead and the USA team at the world triathlon championships will be Sandy Dukat, Tommy Koehler and Amy Palmiero-Winters. Michael Foresto has been asked to be a member of Team Type 1. Team Type 1 http://www.teamtype1.org/about08.shtml is a national cycling team composed of cyclists that have type 1 diabetes. The team has athletes competing in professional competition, The Race Across America (RAAM), and races across the United States. Michael is the first athlete with a disability to join Team Type 1. On May 25, Amy Palmiero-Winters became the 6th Team A Step Ahead athlete to complete the grueling Ironman triathlon. Amy competed at the Brazil Ironman, recording the fastest time in an Ironman for a female amputee with a time of 12 hours and 11 minutes. The Ironman competition consists of a 2.4 mile open water swim, 112 mile bike ride and 26.2 mile run. Other Team A Step Ahead athletes that have completed the Ironman include Tommy Koehler, Kelly Bruno, Sarah Reinersten, Paul Martin and Ray Viscome. Team A Step Ahead junior and adult athletes will be competing as a relay team in Central Park on June 22 at the 5 mile Hope & Possibilities Race hosted by the New York road Runners Club and the Achilles Track Club.
New Technology for Upper Extremity Amputees A Step Ahead Prosthetics is now an official provider of the Touch Bionics i-limb System.  The i-LIMB Hand is the first prosthetic device with five individually powered digits.
The i-LIMB Hand was developed using leading edge mechanical engineering techniques and is manufactured using high strength plastics. The i-Limb is a next generation prosthetic device that is lightweight and highly appealing to both patients and healthcare professionals. The i-LIMB Hand is controlled by a unique, highly intuitive control system that uses a traditional two-input myoelectric (muscle signal) to open and close the hands life-like fingers. Myoelectric controls utilize the electrical signal generated by the muscles in the remaining portion of the patient’s limb. This signal is picked up by electrodes that sit on the surface of the skin. Existing users of myoelectric prosthetic hands are able to quickly adapt to the system and can master the i-LIMB functionality within minutes.  In addition to the i-LIMB hand, Touch Bionics has developed the Pro Digit Finger to replace individual digits in a patient’s hand. For more information on this exciting new technology for upper extremity amputees contact our office to speak to one of our prosthetists. You can also find more information about the i-LIMB hand and pro digit finger at Touch Bionics website including videos of patients using the i-LIMB. http://www.touchbionics.com/professionals.php?PHPSESSID=faea529ab09f28cb2e9520f6cbc4aeab http://www.touchbionics.com/professionals.php?pageid=44§ion=5
Fundraising Events for ASPIRE & Team A Step Ahead Dave Balsley, P.T. and Phil Kreuter, P.T. will each be participating in endurance events to raise funds for ASPIRE and Team A Step Ahead.
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| Start of the Badwater Run 280 feet below sea level |
Dave will be attempting for the second time The Badwater Ultramarathon from July 26-28, the toughest ultra-marathon in the world. Badwater is a 135 mile race that starts in Death Valley and finishes at the portal to Mount Whitney. The race traverses 3 mountain passes where temperatures can reach over 130 degrees. Dave will be accompanied by a crew to assist him during this 2 ½ day event which will include Erik Schaffer, Amy Palmiero-Winters, Phil Kreuter, and Sarah Reinersten.
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| Summit of Mt. Washington |
Phil will be competing in Newton’s Revenge, a bike race up Mt. Washington in New Hampshire on July 12. The Mt. Washington bike race is considered one of the toughest up hill bike races in the world. It climbs to a summit of 6,288 feet over 7.6 miles with an average percent grade of 12%. Donations for each of these events can be based on mileage or for the up hill bike race on elevation climbed. Donations can also be made to ASPIRE and Team A Step Ahead in any amount. Donations for ASPIRE and Team A Step Ahead should be sent to ASPIRE/Badwater Run or ASPIRE/Bike race fundraiser c/o GLIRC 101-24 Dupont Street, Plainview New York 11803. For more information on these two fundraising races contact Phil Kreuter at 516-681-3484. | 
