The Active Amputee

Post by Bjoern Eser ⎮ October 22, 2017 ⎮ Inspire

15 amazing amputee Instagram accounts

There are plenty of accounts from amputees on Instagram. Some of them really amazing, inspirational in so many ways. Here is my top 15 of personal accounts. Each of these stories resonates with me. All of them have moved me in one way or another, left a deep and lasting impression or motivated me to try something new. So I thought I share them with you. Have a look. They are amazing. read more  

Guest post by Chaos.Cat ⎮ October 18, 2017 ⎮ Inspire

Choosing to amputate to finally blossom

Chaos.Cat survived bone cancer when she was a child. But it left her trapped in a body which she never felt at ease with. After years that were marked by sadness and frustration, she took the brace decision to have her leg amputated. This, so she thought, would enable her to start a new life, open up new possibilities and finally allow her to be who she always wanted to be. And it did. Read her story - both in the German original and the English translation.

Post by Bjoern Eser ⎮ October 15, 2017 ⎮ Inform

Updates from amputees you met here before

The Active Amputee has been up and running for a good six months now. And over the months, some amazing people shared their stories on the blog. This week‘s weekend edition follows up on some of them, giving you updates on what they are currently up to. read more

Guest post by Crystal Chigbu ⎮ October 11, 2017 ⎮ Inform

The IREDE Foundation: Addressing basic needs and social stigma

When her daughter was born without a tibia and knee cap, Crystal Chigbu initially felt lost for the lack of information and support. Channeling her frustration into something good, she set up The IREDE Foundation   inspired the set-up of The IREDE Foundation to support amputees and their families directly while also educating the general public. So far they have reached out to 100,000 Nigerians and supported more than five dozen amputees with artificial limbs. read more

Post by Bjoern Eser ⎮ October 8, 2017 ⎮ Inspire

Paraclimbing in the Peak District

Kat Sizer from PACE Rehab teamed up with Belinda Fuller and Robin O‘Leary, the two coaches of the British Paraclimbing Team, to offer amputees an opportunity to have a go at outdoor climbing. So on October 6, 2017, eight amputees met at Stanage Edge in the UK's Peak District. Some of them have been climbing for years, others were novices to this sport. With plenty of world class grit stone, with the sun out, with great coaching and a very supportive environment, all of us had an amazing day. read more

Guest post by Aristotle Domingo ⎮ October 4, 2017 ⎮ Inspire

The finish line is only the beginning

Aristotle Domingo, also known as Todd to his family, friends, and social media followers, has never understood the meaning of “limits.” After surviving septicemia in 2001, Todd lived with peroneal nerve injury (foot drop) until his recent left below-knee amputation in 2017. He spent 16 years battling infection, pain, and other medical issues due to complications. But he managed a speedy recovery from his recent amputation surgery to participating in his first 5K race. read more

Post by Bjoern Eser ⎮ September 27, 2017 ⎮ Inspire

Birthday special: Living my life to the fullest! Loving it! Appreciating it!

Back in April when I launched The Active Amputee, I kicked off with a series of articles called ,My Journey To Losing My Leg‘ describing the long battle between first being diagnosed with cancer in the mid-1980s to finally making the decision to have my leg amputated in late 2005. A lot has happened since. And as many people asked how the journey continued, here are some snapshots what my life is all about. read more

Guest post by Fernando Costa Jr. ⎮ September 20, 2017 ⎮ Inform

Democratising access to prosthetic covers

Today we are continuing our mini series on prosthetic leg covers. Fernando Costa Jr. from ID Ethnos is talking about the Confetti, a project that aims to make stylish covers more affordable. read more

Post by Bjoern Eser ⎮ September 13, 2017 ⎮ Inspire

Paraclimbing Special: Pictures from the first round

„Open to all aspiring paraclimbers, the British Mountaineering Council and Climb Scotland Paraclimbing Series is a friendly competition aimed at giving people an authentic competitive experience.“ That‘s what it says on the BMC‘s homepage. And here are some impressions from this amazing event. read more

Post by Bjoern Eser ⎮ September 7, 2017 ⎮ Inspire

Paraclimbing Special: Counting down the days

The first paraclimbing competition is just two days away. If you have a chance, come and be there at the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena on Saturday, September 9. You won‘t be disappointed. Amazing climbing, a great atmosphere and loads of inspiration by people who have overcome immense challenges in their lives. Join us for the day. read more

Post by Bjoern Eser ⎮ September 6, 2017 ⎮ Inspire

Paraclimbing Special: How to commemorate the anniversary of an amputation

Throw back to 2015. Some time during the summer I was browsing the internet. And by coincidence I stumbled across an article about the British Paraclimb Series. As I had been climbing for some time - on and off, nothing regular - the article caught my interest. „On Saturday, September 19, the British Paraclimbing Series is kicking off“, so it said. The first round was to be in Edinburgh. And while it‘s quite a long drive to get up there, I new right away that I wanted to be there for this event. It would be a special gift to myself to celebrate my 10th anniversary as an amputee. September 19, 2005 was the last day I walked - or better limbed - around this planet on two legs. A day later I had my left leg amputated and started a new chapter in my life. read more

Guest post by @an.awakened:amputee ⎮ August 30, 2017 ⎮ Inspire

My five proudest moments of being an amputee

For today‘s guest blogger, 27 years of being an amputee has been a never ending journey of pushing her mind, her body and soul to be the best it can be. And she sure has done a lot of things to be proud of. Here is her top five. read more read more 

Post by Bjoern Eser ⎮ August 23, 2017 ⎮ Inform

Celebrating amputations and de-stigmatising disability

I recently published a short overview over various companies producing prosthetic covers, allowing people with amputations to express their individual style through the look of their artificial limbs. As several people expressed an interest to learn more about the choices amputees now have, I decided to run a mini-series over the coming months, showcasing some of the companies producing these stunning covers. And we kick off this series with an interview with McCauley Wanner from the ALLELES design studio in Victoria/Canada. read more 

(model: Michelle Salt, photo courtesy of ALLELES and Eric Chu)

Guest post by Yoav Gaon⎮ August 16, 2017 ⎮ Engage

Discover yoocan, an empowerment site for people with disabilities

When Erez Gaon was born with a rare disease and complex cognitive and physical disabilities, the family felt initially overwhelmed and lost. They began an emotionally challenging journey that brought the family closer together as they developed their very own ways of dealing with each and every day anew. Motivated by his very personal experiences Erez‘ father Yoav co-founded yoocan, a site to empower people with disabilities. Over the years yoocan has grown into one of the leading resource pages providing a wide rage of information and allowing people with disabilities to share their stories. read more

Post by Bjoern Eser⎮ August 9, 2017 ⎮ Inform

In a kayak, being an above-the-knee amputee is not an issue

Summer is here. And with it endless opportunities for being active in the water. Water sports are generally great fun and they are well suited for lower limb amputees as they offer the added advantage of the water carrying most of our weight. Swimming, snorkeling, diving, kayaking, surfing - all of these activities are great fun and well worth a try. Even more so as they often allow you a completely new perspective on this beautiful planet of ours. There is a whole new world often just a few feet below the surface of the ocean. Feeling the force of a wave carrying you back to shore is a humbling experience. And any coast looks completely different when seen from a kayak. read more

Guest post by Anoushe Husain⎮ August 2, 2017 ⎮ Inspire

Awkward situations are part of the game, but discrimination is a different matter

Anoushe Husain was born missing her right arm below the elbow, is living with multiple health conditions, is a cancer survivor, a Muslim and coming from an ethnic minority. She has never let what society or culture thinks she should do limit her or dictate the direction of her life. She is constantly breaking the mould and challenging not only her own beliefs about her own potential but also that of society and her own culture. In her last post we got to know her and her story. Today she tells us about how one instance of discrimination impacted on her life. read more

Guest post by James Rudge⎮ July 26, 2017 ⎮ Inspire

Know your body and you will do incredible things

James Rudge was born without the lower part of one of his arms. As that was all he ever knew, James wouldn't allow himself to be deterred by any tasks that someone with two hands might achieve. So becoming a Parkour athlete and taking up rock climbing seemed only natural. read more

Guest post by Fay Keegan ⎮ July 19, 2017 ⎮ Inspire

Tough choices are needed for a new beginning

Fay Keegan was only eleven years old when she was involved in a train accident that crushed her foot. After more than four decades in which she battled feelings of denial, anger, grief and loss, Fay decided to say goodbye to her foot and start anew. read more