I grew up in Benkelman Nebraska, a community of 1000 people that was very supportive of me in my time of need during my bout with bone cancer.  Later, while studying electrical engineering at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, I had trouble with the hardware of my knee replacement that I needed due to the osteosarcoma.  As a result I had a rotationplasty amputation to preserve length and function.  Basically, I chose amputation because I wanted to get back to being an active person and living LIFE!!

I found that a rotationplasty prosthesis was hard to fit for most prosthetists.  In fact, rotationplasty is not that common of an amputation.  The ankle is turned 180 degrees and made to work as the knee joint; the knee is actually the area amputated.  So I figured, who best to figure it all out but me.  I began my journey at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center’s prosthetic and orthotic program.

After school, my orthotic education was furthered at UT’s orthotic residency program.   I gained my pediatric expertise while working on staff at the Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Greenville, SC.  My prosthetic residency was at Rehab Designs of America in Kansas City.  Through my residency programs I became eligible to sit for boards to become a Certified Prosthetist/Orthotist.  Who would have thought it would have been so involved to learn how to make a leg???

I later worked for a private facility in Denver.  During this time I started volunteering for the Physician’s for Peace “Walking Free” program in Guatemala.  Walking Free develops self sustained prosthetic clinics by furthering education of rehabilitation specialists in the Country.

Life experiences combined with my educational background lead me to develop my mission statement: 

“Sky Prosthetics is a company devoted to developing human potential.  Our mission is to help people return to the lifestyle, as he/she knew it before amputation or disability.  We educate, encourage, empathize, and support each and every patient to the fullest.  Sky Prosthetics professional staff fits and fabricates custom prosthetics and orthotics because each individual has unique needs regarding function, durability, comfort, and appearance.”

 I have returned to Benkelman prepared to serve the patients in the Tri-State area.