November Newsletter Vol. 6 Issue 11
First Complete Double Leg Amputee Completes a Marathon
On Sunday, November 1st, after starting at 6 AM (just before the sun rose over the Verazanno Bridge), twenty-two-year-old John Tartaglio became the first complete double leg amputee to finish a marathon. John completed the 26.2 miles in 15 hours and 59 minutes, running on a custom designed carbon fiber running prosthesis built by A Step Ahead Prosthetics. John started hours before the elite runners and thousands of others and finished at Tavern on the Green in Central Park just before 10 pm while the other 42,000 runners had finished and were home resting their sore muscles. John was supported during the long day through the streets of New York by his parents, his coach Dave Balsley, P.T. and Amy Palmiero-Winters, director of Team A Step Ahead.
Patients in the News
A story about Jessica Nesin (Above Knee) was in a new online quarterly publication of the Amputee Coalition of America called "Pebbles, you can be the pebble in the pond." Jessica's monetary donation to the ACA and the donation of her old prosthetics to Limbs for Life were highlighted in this story: http://www.amputee-coalition.org/newsletters/pebbles/v01i03/ripples.html
Paddy Rossbach (Below Knee), former president and CEO of the Amputee Coalition of America, was honored at the Harvard Club in New York City on October 8th. Paddy had the A.C.A. annual summer youth camp named in her honor for her work with children who have limb loss. The summer camp will now be known as the Amputee Coalition of America's Paddy Rossbach Youth Camp. To read the ACA press release go to: http://www.amputee-coalition.org/absolutenm/anmviewer.asp?a=1173
Eric Grimes (Below Knee) and Rachid Elkadi (Below Knee) will both be honored at the annual New York State Shields COPS for COPS Dinner Dance on December 1st at the Eastwood Manor in the Bronx, N.Y. Eric will be receiving the N.Y.S. Shields Distinguished Service Cross Medal. Eric was injured on duty on July 14 of this year and is still undergoing rehabilitation with the goal of returning to full active duty as a New York City Police Officer. Rachid Elkadi had multiple injuries in a motor vehicle accident three years ago, resulting in a below the knee amputation and has since returned to full active duty in the New York Police Department. He will be receiving the Hero of the Month Award.
Michael LaForgia's story about his running the New York City marathon was written up in the Long Island Press and Newsday. Go to the following links to read the stories:
http://www.longislandpress.com/2009/11/02/running-on-hope
Sarah's recently published book In a Single Bound is available at many online retailers and major bookstores.
An article about Jeff Glasbrenner (Below Knee) and his participation in Ironman Florida on November 7th was in the News Herald of Panama City, Florida. This is Jeff's 6th Ironman competition and second Ironman this year:
Amy Palmiero-Winters (Below Knee) was named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after winning the 10th Annual Heartland "Spirit of the Prairie" 100 Mile Endurance Run on October 11th in Cassoday, Kansas. The complete press release can be read at the USA Track & Field website:
The Junior Team A Step Ahead Documentary is a GO!
On the weekend of October 17th, the athletes of Junior Team A Step Ahead joined up with ASPIRE productions, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and Chelsea Piers for a weekend full of dancing, bowling and fun to kick off the start of filming of the documentary "Hope and Possibility."
Nine athletes from A Step Ahead joined together on Saturday morning at Chelsea Piers for bowling under
the disco lights of the 300 New York bowling center. Following the fun at Chelsea Piers, the team traveled over to the world-famous Alvin Ailey dance studios where they learned to dance West African, Samba, Ballet, Hip-Hop and Salsa.
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Junior Team A Step Ahead at the
Alvin Ailey Dance Studio
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"It was such a good time because it was fun. I learned some new dance moves." - Cate Hughes, 7-year-old junior team member
"I loved it"! - Jake Lillis, 7-year-old junior team member
"As the program director for the junior athletes, this weekend was inspiring for me as an athlete and very eye-opening, to say the least. Dance is a way of expression, a way to build confidence and a way to feel comfortable with who you are. I've learned that running, triathlons, and overall athletics help build a strong foundation in the junior athletes, but to get out there and dance in front of others takes a different kind of strength. That strength is a kind of strength that comes from an inner confidence and pride that all of us could benefit from having more of." - Amy Palmiero-Winters
"They were a joy to dance with. They brought a wealth of energy, enthusiasm, and great attention span (three very important things that teachers and dancers always appreciate, and that some of my weekly adult students could use a bit more of themselves!). We had a tremendous time sharing our love for this dance with those wonderful kids." - Philip Haymon, Salsa instructor
On November 1st, three runners on the team ran the 40th annual ING New York City Marathon. Ben Simmons (Above Knee) ran his second NYC marathon in a time of 5:14. Michael LaForgia (Below Knee/partial foot) returned to the place he ran his last marathon prior to contracting bacterial meningitis and having bilateral amputations. Although not reaching his predicted time goal, Michael completed the 26.2 miles in 6:21. Starting before sunrise and finishing in 15 hours and 59 minutes, John Tartaglio became the first bilateral hip disarticulation amputee to complete a marathon.
Nick Roumonda (Below Knee), one of the newest members of Team A Step Ahead, ran the 1/2 marathon trail run at the North Face Challenge Endurance Series in Madison, Wisconsin. This was the first trail run for Nick, who recently received his first running prosthesis through the cooperative efforts of A Step Ahead and the Challenged Athletes Foundation. Nick finished the challenging 1/2 marathon in a time of 2:26.
Amy Palmerio-Winters (Below Knee) ran her fourth 50-mile trail run this year as part of the North Face Challenge Endurance Series 50-mile trail race. The race was held in Madison, Wisconsin in the southern reaches of the picturesque Kettle Moraine State Park. Despite rainy and cold conditions, Amy finished in a time of 8 hours and 43 minutes, placing 4th female overall out of 34 women and 33rd out of 133 finishers.
15-year-old James Mauldin (Bilateral Below Knee) ran a 5-mile road race in his home town of Kent, CT. Just a few days after receiving his first set of running prostheses, James finished the race in 48:40. James had been running on the cross country team at the Salisbury school this year on his walking legs. We are looking forward to him reaching all of his goals in running.
Lynn and Jamie Parks, whom A Step Ahead built and donated a custom racing chair for, recently reached a few milestones in their running. They ran their 2,000th mile since receiving the custom racing chair in February 2008. They also ran their 15,000th mile together since Jamie started pushing Lynn in her wheelchair on July 11th, 1991. On November 8th, they ran their 200th race together in their hometown of Tinley Park, Illinois.
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Jamie and Lynn Parks
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Rajesh Durbal (Bilateral Below Knee/Below Elbow) continues his first season as a triathlete by becoming the first triple amputee to complete an Olympic-distance triathlon. At the Miami Nice Triathlon on October 18th, 2009 Rajesh completed the 1.5 mile swim, 40 kilometer bike and 10 kilometer run in 3:35. Rajesh is planning a bigger season for 2010 including participation in the Paratriathlon championships at the N.Y.C. Triathlon as well as a doing a 1/2 Ironman. Rajesh's long term goal is to finish an Ironman triathlon and be the first triple amputee to complete this grueling event.
Upcoming events:
Jeff Glasbrenner and Marcos Corti-Maderna will be competing in Panama City, Florida on November 7th at Ironman Florida. For Jeff it will be his 7th Ironman, for Marcos his first.
Sam Cila will be competing in his first Ironman triathlon on November 7th in Las Vegas at the Silverman Triathlon. Silverman is considered to be one of the hardest Ironman distance events in North America, with over 12,000 feet of elevation change.
Amy Palmiero-Winters will be running her second 100 mile trail run on November 7-8 at the Ozark Trail 100 Mile Endurance Run through the Mark Twain National Forest in south central Missouri.
There is no ASPIRE Support Group meeting in November. The next meeting will be the Holiday Party in December. Information about the date and time of that meeting will be in the December newsletter.
New York-Presbyterian Hospital Amputee Education and Support Group meets on the first Friday of every month from 10 AM to 12 noon at the Neurological Institute, 8th Floor North classroom (PT and OT Department) 710 W. 168th Street, contact Sharon Clark at 212-305-3964.
Rusk Rehab Amputee Support Group (34th Street/1st avenue) meets Thursday, November 19th at 6:00 PM. For more information about the Rusk Rehab Support Group, contact Dr. Jeff Heckman at 631-873-6223 or jtheckman@yahoo.com
The Long Island Amputee Support Group meets the first Saturday of each month at South Side Hospital, 301 East Main Street in Bayshore. Contact Jodi Adler at 631-968-3330.
For more information on amputee support groups around the country, go to http://www.amputee-coalition.org/npn_about.html
Improve Running & Walking at 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, November 29th. 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 to watch what others can do. For more information and directions to the mobility clinic call the office at 516-681-3484.
Staying Active with Winter Sports
Skiing, snow boarding, and ice skating are fun winter sports. At A Step Ahead, we can custom align your prosthesis so you can enjoy these activities safely. In addition to alignment, we custom fabricate knee orthoses and stump helmets to protect your residual limb. Knee braces are essential for below the knee amputees who ski. While skiing, your knee will be subjected to side to side forces that will place excessive strain on your knee joint. A custom brace can be fabricated to attach to your prosthesis and will provide improved side to side stability reducing the risk of injury to your knee.
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Custom Below Knee Ski Prosthesis
with Custom Brace
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If you are an above the knee amputee, skiing without your prosthesis is common. A stump helmet is a device that will encompass and protect your residual limb if you fall. They are designed to reduce the risk of bruising and possible fractures of the bone in your residual limb. If you are gearing up for winter sports or are interested in a custom prosthesis for any sport, call our office to speak to one of our prosthetists.
With the progress that the parity campaign made on the state level in the 2009 session, the ACA is really looking forward to 2010. In 2009 the ACA worked with local activists to introduce bills in 20 states and helped to pass six new laws! Arkansas, Iowa, Maryland, Missouri, Texas, and Virginia brought the total to seventeen states now that have passed prosthetic parity into law.
With all that's going on at the state level, the ACA has also been able to reintroduce the Prosthetic and Custom Orthotic Parity act of 2009 in the US House of Representatives (H.R. 2575). The ACA is still working with the Senate to reintroduce the bill, and have been in ongoing conversations to work with leaders in both chambers to make sure language is included in the overall healthcare bills currently being discussed in Congress. The ACA has been successful in the healthcare debate, getting language included that centers on making sure the limb loss community has access to orthotic and prosthetic care. This language is included in the House healthcare bill and is being discussed in the Senate.
Arms and legs are not a luxury, and the ACA is working hard to make that clear to legislators across the country. They are working with several local groups and organizations that have helped them in this fight for parity, but they need even more individuals to get involved in this effort. This is a grassroots movement, and the more individuals they can get to take part at the state and federal level, the more likely legislatures will pass parity legislation for their constituents.
If you?re interested in getting more involved by attending meetings, writing, emailing, calling, or meeting your legislators, or are interested in attending a hearing, or getting legislation moving in your state, please contact the ACA government relations specialist, Dan Ignaszewski at 202-742-1885 or Dan@amputee-coalition.org .
