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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Dr. Carmen Elliott, the new President and CEO of the Amputee Coalition, joins Mike Bolland for a conversation about community, advocacy, and helping people with limb loss and limb difference find the support they need. Carmen shares how her family’s experiences with healthcare access and limb loss shaped her commitment to this work. Together, they explore the value of peer support, access to prosthetics, and including families and caregivers in the conversation. They also discuss support groups, certified peer visitors, AC Connect, and the upcoming “Fireside Connections” conference.
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