In episode 4 of season 2, I get the pleasure of speaking to Wafa Lavelle.
Wafa was born in the Middle East in the country of Jordan. While her mother was pregnant with her, she became sick and had to take medication. Nothing was known at the time about the medication’s side effects on pregnancy, and this led to Wafa being born with birth defects. These included two club feet, legs that were bent to her thighs and hip dysplasia. Because of these birth defects, she was unable to walk and was only able to crawl until seven years of age.
At seventeen Wafa stepped on a nail, and this led to the amputation of one of her feet. With over sixty surgeries behind her and an unpleasant experience with a prosthetist, Wafa is now better than ever. She is a Certified Peer Visitor for the Amputee Coalition and was recently profiled on WCVB TV in Boston for all of the goodwill she offers to others.
Wafa talks about those experiences and more – including funny stories from her life – in this episode of the We’re not Stumped podcast.
Helpful links from this episode:
Hanger Clinic: https://hangerclinic.com/
Wafa in InMotion Magazine: https://www.amputee-coalition.org/inmotion_online/inmotion-29-06-web/10/
Wafa on WCVB TV: https://www.wcvb.com/article/5-for-good-quincy-woman-offers-peer-support-to-others-with-limb-loss-differences/43215101
Amputee Coalition: https://www.amputee-coalition.org/
Amputee Coalition Certified Peer Visitors: https://www.amputee-coalition.org/support-groups-peer-support/certified-peer-visitor-program/
Wafa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wafahaddadlavelle/
#amputee #amputeestrong #Limbloss #prosthetics #prosthetic #staypositive
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In this inspiring episode of We’re Not Stumped, Mike talks with John Cooper, a physical therapist assistant with 18 years of experience, about his journey into physical therapy and his passion for working with lower-limb amputees. John shares how his grandfather’s recovery from brain surgery sparked his career, and how close collaboration with prosthetists helps him address the real-world challenges amputees face every day. He explains why patience matters in rehab, why quality beats quantity in therapy sessions, and how setbacks can become powerful turning points.
Mike Bolland shares the story behind Enable Review — a new community-powered platform created to help people with limb loss, limb difference, and caregivers find prosthetic, orthotic, and rehabilitation care they can trust. After hearing powerful stories from guests and listeners, Mike explains why real patient experiences matter — and how Enable Review puts those voices front and center. Enable Review isn’t about ads or marketing. It’s about lived experience. If you’ve worked with a prosthetist, orthotist, physical therapist, or rehab clinic, we invite you to be part of our early community. https://enablereview.com/
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