The following is a shorter version of a video talking about this inspiring girl. ? For more information on how you can help, go to her page at indiegogo.com.
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Summary
My name is Ali McWeeny, 24 year old athlete and above knee amputee. I’ve played sports my entire life, went off to college to become a coach and Physical Education teacher and collegiate athlete at Central Washington University.
7/4/2009-At the age of 20, as a Jr. at CWU I was in a boating accident that changed my life. I was left with an above knee amputation on my left side and severe damage to my right hamstring and gluteus maximus. My doctors told me I had to change my hobbies (sports) and my career goal (a Physical Education teacher). I refused to do so and now 3 years later I have graduated college with a Physical Education Degree and a Coaching Minor.
My medical insurance only covers one prosthetic leg and that is the one I use for everyday life, coaching, and teaching, but I want to do more!
I have found a prosthetic leg that will allow me to return to the extreme sports I love before my accident; wake boarding, snow boarding, natural rock climbing, surfing, etc. I’m asking for helping to purchase a new leg and most importantly new life!
Not only will this new prosthetic allow me to return to my extreme sport hobbies, it will also assist my teaching. With the “new” P.E. that I have been educated to apply includes rock climbing, hiking, geocaching, watersports, etc. This new prosthetic knee will allow me to teach all of these skills to my students without having to worry about water, weather, and heavy resistance damage. With the prosthesis my insurance covers I cannot risk any sports or activities that could damage or leave the ability of my only prosthetic in question.
What We Need & The Possibilities
The prosthetic knee that this is for is the Bartlett Tendon Universal Knee, designed by professional downhill mountain biker and above knee amputee, Brian Bartlett. Brian works with my prosthetic doctor, Dave Hughes, out of Cornerstone Prosthetics in Everett, Washington.
The price of the leg after taxes is just under $7,000 and I have been told it is worth every penny. This leg will allow me to return to:
Winter Sports: Snowboarding, Alpine skiing, Telemark skiing, Cross country skiing, and Snow kiting.
Water Sports: Water skiing, Wakeboarding, Wind surfing, Kite boarding, Scuba diving, Swimming, and Surfing.
Summer Sports: Mountain biking, Road cycling, Skate boarding, and Inline skating.
Moto Sports: Moto-cross, Trail riding, and Snowmobile riding.
Rehabilitation: Build muscle, Promote general fitness, Increase active, and quality time with family
This is everything I’ve been asking for and more!!
All of the funds raised will go straight to the purchase of this leg, but if we raise more than what is needed I plan to give the rest to a charity for others in need of help in getting a prosthetic.
website for the prosthetic: http://leftsideinc.com/
The Impact
After being told I would never compete in the same sports again, I have become the Only girl in the World to compete in Powerlifting fully on one leg without a prosthesis. My new personal records for my one-legged competitions @ 125 lbs. are Bench-172 lbs., Squat-104 lbs. and Deadlift-204 lbs. My next competition is in Elizabethton, Tennessee at the Night of The Living Deadlift where all of the best deadlifters in the world come to compete on the same stage. My personal goal will be deadlift 250 lbs. at this meet and my fundraiser will run until the day after this meet, October 13th and end October 14th.
This prosthetic leg will allow me to become the Physical Education teacher that I’ve aspired to be for so long. With losing my leg when I was only half way finished with my teaching degree I could’ve listened to the doctors and given up, but I didn’t. I knew that it would not be easy finishing college and adapting my teaching and life to my new condition, but I conquered that as well. Now I’ve finished college and soon entering the teaching world all I can think of is what I won’t be able to do with my students since my insured prosthetic is so sensitive to being damaged and out of commission. I have finally found the leg that will allow me to reach any height I want as well as with my students, not holding anyone around me back.
With your help we can make this happen! I am also starting a personal blog very soon that I will be documenting all of my adventures on so you can follow what you’ve done for me!
Other Ways You Can Help
If you are financially unable to donate, you can help by sharing my story and fundraisers with anyone and everyone you can!!
There is Indiegogo sharing tools to post this on your facebook, twitter, myspace, email, etc. as well.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME!! AND REMEMBER,
NEVER GIVE UP
NEVER LOOK BACK!
Click here for more information and how to help.
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