Molly’s Inspiring Story of Living with Limb Difference
I am so excited to share Molly’s story with all of you.
I recently attended the Amputee Coalition’s National Convention in Orlando, Florida in August 2023. It was an incredible experience for me, as it was my first time attending. I was given the opportunity to give a workshop for the Youth Education Program at their Youth Camp to approximately 20 kids ranging in age from 7 to 18 all living with a limb loss or limb difference, and this is where I met Molly.
I was sharing some information about myself with the group about my elementary school programs and I was hoping to find a prosthesis to pass around the room to teach kids about prosthetics. Molly came up to me after the workshop and offered to donate her old blade for Roxy’s programs.
Molly lives in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, which is only 30 minutes from where I live, so this was incredible. This was even cooler because her old blade happened to be the same blade worn by Roxy in my second book! I met Molly’s mom, Amy briefly after the program and we exchanged numbers. It was interesting to me that Amy was also wearing a prosthesis, which I was curious about at the time. It wasn’t until I drove to her house and met Amy in person that I learned about their story.
Molly was born with a congenital absence of the tibia bone in her right leg. This congenital birth defect is also present in her mother, brother, late grandfather, as well as one cousin. She was born with a foot, but it was clubbed, and she had one very long toe! Molly’s Mom, Amy, was aware of the birth defect while pregnant with Molly. She talked to the best orthopedic surgeons in the area, as well as her own surgeon, who had also performed Molly’s brother Patrick’s surgery 10 years earlier as well as her own in 1975!
He was retired by then, so Molly ended up at Shriners Hospital in Philadelphia. The doctor decided that the best course of action would be to amputate the foot, and then later, move the fibula bone to act as a tibia bone so Molly could keep her lower leg and become a below-knee amputee. There was another option, saving the foot and leg. However, this option would render the leg useless and although Molly would keep her leg, she would not be able to run and play as she would with a prosthetic. This option would also require years of surgeries and body casts. Molly’s mom Amy, being an amputee herself, did not see the point of putting Molly through all of that just to have a useless leg. Her mom had been an active kid, enjoying skiing and riding horses. Her prosthetic leg did not stop her, and it would not stop Molly either!
Today, Molly plays CYO basketball and softball. She enjoys riding her bike and helps her mom with her dog-walking business. She is in 8th grade at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, and is looking forward to high school next year!
Molly’s mom, Amy, gave me permission to share Molly’s story at my elementary school programs. When we met, we shared an instant connection, and I was so appreciative to learn about their family. This is such an inspirational story and a beautiful way to introduce prosthetics to elementary school-age children. I am so excited to share Molly’s story at all my programs, and I hope that her story inspires children to never give up and at the same time, learn about limb difference awareness and acceptance. I am so thankful that I met Molly in Orlando and had the opportunity to learn about her incredible story.
I am a firm believer that “things happen for a reason.” This certainly applies here. I want to publicly thank Amy for allowing me to come to her home and for sharing Molly’s bio with me.
I am also thankful that Molly is allowing me to share her story with students and cannot wait to see what incredible things she accomplishes in her life!
I also would like to thank the Amputee Coalition for all of their incredible work in their Youth Education Program and for having me speak at their recent Youth Camp. Check out their website to learn more: https://www.amputee-coalition.org/
