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
Watch on YouTube
Listen on Spotify
What happens when disability advocates from across the country come together to shape the future of independent living and accessibility? In this solo episode of We're Not Stumped, I share my personal reflections after attending the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., where I represented Ability360 as a member of its Board of Directors. From celebrating ADA36: We Won't Go Back to hearing powerful stories from advocates, policymakers, and leaders in the disability community, the conference reinforced why protecting and advancing disability rights remains so important.
In this episode of We're Not Stumped, Mike Bolland sits down with Karen Morales, a wheelchair user and leader of Fora Travel's Accessibility Initiative, to discuss how the travel industry can become more inclusive for everyone. After becoming a wheelchair user in 2020, Karen quickly discovered that planning an accessible trip often meant endless phone calls, unanswered questions, and uncertainty about whether hotels, transportation, and attractions would truly meet her needs. Rather than accepting those challenges, she helped create an initiative that's training hundreds of travel advisors to better serve travelers with disabilities and other accessibility needs.
What if success isn't measured by where you finish—but by having the courage to start? After more than 35 years away from professional bowling, I returned to compete in the PBA60 World Series of Bowling at age 61. I knew the odds weren't in my favor. My body had changed. The equipment had changed. The competition had changed. But this episode isn't really about bowling. It's about the voice inside all of us that says we're too old, too late, or not good enough to chase something that matters. In this solo episode of We're Not Stumped, I share the emotions behind my comeback, the challenges I faced on the lanes, and the unexpected lesson that came from finishing far below where I had hoped. That lesson became a phrase I can't stop thinking about: Take the Shot Anyway. Because you don't need the perfect hand. You just need the courage to use the one you've been dealt.
Leave A Comment