Tag Archives: Limb Loss 5K

Kentwood and Hanger Clinic to host annual Hanger Limb Loss Awareness 5K April 29

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Last year’s event. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)



By WKTV Staff

greer@wktv.org



The City of Kentwood and local orthotic and prosthetic care provider Hanger Clinic are again partnering to host the fifth annual Hanger Limb Loss Awareness 5K on Saturday, April 29 in honor of Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month.

The all-ages, all-abilities event will begin with packet pickup at 9 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park, 355 48th St. SE, followed by a Show Your Mettle photo at 9:45 a.m. The race, which begins at 10 a.m., will include a new route this year that will take runners through Veteran’s Memorial Park and part of the East West Trail.

The race seeks to increase awareness of limb loss and limb difference, build community and raise funds for Kentwood’s adaptive recreation programs. These programs provide quality recreation and enrichment programs for people of all abilities and offer opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in athletic activities in an adapted way to allow for a safe, fun experience. 

“Our Limb Loss Awareness 5K is focused on inclusivity, awareness, relationships and making a difference in our local community,” said Katelyn Bush, Kentwood recreation program coordinator. “We’re honored to host this event alongside Hanger Clinic and are thrilled about its growing popularity since the first one in 2018.” 

Register today

Online registration is available at RunSignUp.com. Registration is $35 through April 28 and $45 on race day. Participants will receive a long-sleeved T-shirt and swag bag as part of their registration. To guarantee a shirt, please be sure to register by April 14. Packet pickup will be available at the event and in advance at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE, during business hours beginning Thursday, April 27.



Last year’s Hanger Limb Loss Awareness 5K. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)



Four first-place awards will be given to the first adult men and women amputees and nonamputees who cross the finish line. The event is set to conclude at 1 p.m. 

The kid-friendly event will also include a fun run for ages 12 and younger at 11 a.m. in the park. The kids race costs $10 per child and includes a T-shirt and finisher ribbon. There also is a Family Fun area with yard games, chalk and more for all ages to enjoy.



Last year’s Hanger Limb Loss Awareness 5K. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)



This year’s event will feature two speakers: Kelly Allen and RJ Myler. 

Allen was born missing a femur, tibia and patella and with a hip that is not fully developed on her left side due to a limb difference called proximal femoral focal deficiency. She was fit for her first prosthetic at just 3 months old. 

She was born into a family of athletes, but there was not an adaptive sports community near her home. So, she competed in able-bodied sports, working hard to keep up with her peers on the field and court. In 2006, her prosthetist introduced her to the Extremity Games, an extreme sport competition for athletes with disabilities. This was her first introduction to adaptive sports, and it had a big impact on her view of her disability. 

“In a flash, I went from being the only person I knew with a prosthetic leg to being surrounded by people who shared similar life experiences to me,” Allen said. “I walked away from this event with a second-place medal in rock climbing and with a new sense of belonging and pride in my disability.”

Allen’s love of sports and participation in adaptive recreation took her many places. She trained and competed in adaptive skiing in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. While recovering from a ski injury, she was introduced to paracanoe and became a paralympic kayaker, representing the U.S. on the world stage for 10 years in Hungary, Portugal, Germany, Poland and Brazil. 

Myler experienced a workplace accident that led to his left leg being amputated from the hip down in June 2022. Due to the accident, he suffered a broken left femur and humerus, a broken pelvis, two broken hips, a fractured right femur, tibia and fibula, a fractured heel and a severely dislocated right knee that tore all four major ligaments. Upon waking up on a ventilator and finding his left leg amputated, Myler knew he had a long road to recovery ahead.  

He spent three months at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital rebuilding strength in his right leg and preparing to use a prosthetic limb. During this time, he said it was hard to focus on the bright side of his new life when he was often faced with thoughts of activities he would no longer be able to do. 

A supportive community made all the difference for Myler. 

“Fortunately, I have an amazing wife, family, friends and neighbors who rallied behind me and gave me something to fight for,” Myler said.  “I knew I wasn’t alone in this.” 

“I hope others read this and know help is always available to those who ask.”

Myler returned home from the hospital in October, was fit with his first prosthetic leg at Hanger Clinic in December, and recently returned to work as a dispatcher, where he enjoys encouraging others to approach life with a positive mindset. 

Radio personality Phil Tower will DJ the event

Phil Tower, a West Michigan radio personality, amputee and advocate for people with disabilities, will serve as the event’s DJ. Tower has more than 40 years of broadcasting experience and a background in higher education and talent coaching. 

Along with the race, there will be activities and educational opportunities to raise awareness about limb loss and limb difference. These resources will help participants and attendees learn more about amputation, prosthetics and orthotics as well as connect individuals who have experienced limb loss or limb difference and to build relationships. Several informational booths from various sponsors also will be at the event.



 

Last year’s Hanger Limb Loss Awareness 5K. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)



Sponsors include Corewell Health, Mary Free Bed Orthotics & Prosthetics + Bionics, Buist Electric, Green Shield Deck Builders, Life Beyond Barriers Rehabilitation Group, College Park, Metronet, Muskegon Surgical Associates, Summit Labs LLC, Amazon, Foot and Ankle Specialists and Willow Wood.

“We have a vibrant, supportive community for people experiencing limb loss and limb difference in West Michigan as well as many local resources,” said Nikki Stoner, Hanger Clinic care coordinator and a lower limb amputee herself. “This event gives us an opportunity to raise awareness and let individuals know they aren’t in this alone – we’re here to help.”

 

Volunteers are needed for the event. Those interested may sign up at RunSignUp.com.

 

More information on the Hanger Limb Loss Awareness 5K is available at kentwood.us/LimbLoss5K.

All profits from the event will go toward improving and expanding the City of Kentwood’s adaptive recreation programs to encourage health and wellness, socialization and excellent quality of life for all. The programs – offered in collaboration with community partners – enable participants to enjoy the benefits that come with any athletic or recreational activity, such as a sense of camaraderie, improved confidence and new skills. For more on the City of Kentwood’s adaptive recreation programs, visit kentwood.us/adaptive.

Inspirational stories run deep as City of Kentwood, Hanger Clinic host Limb Loss Awareness 5K April 30

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The City of Kentwood is again partnering with Hanger Clinic to host the fourth Limb Loss Awareness 5K, all-ages and all-abilities event, on Saturday, April 30. (Supplied)

WKTV Staff


There will be plenty of inspirational people and inspirational stories running around the City of Kentwood later this month — including local woman and double leg amputee Beth Lowman — as the city will again host a special community event in recognition of Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month.

Kentwood is again partnering with Hanger Clinic, to host the fourth Limb Loss Awareness 5K on Saturday, April 30. The all-ages and all-abilities event will begin with packet pickup at 9 a.m. at Bowen Station Park, 4499 Bowen Blvd. SE, followed by the race at 10 a.m.

The event seeks to increase awareness of limb loss, build community and raise funds for Kentwood’s adaptive recreation programs. These programs “empower people with various disabilities to participate in athletic activities in an adapted way to allow for a safe and fun experience,” according to the announcement.

Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department program coordinator Katelyn Bush and one of her Adaptive Recreation participants at 2021 The Vibe event. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

“Our Limb Loss Awareness 5K is more than a typical race,” Katelyn Bush, Kentwood recreation program coordinator, said in supplied material. “In addition to health and wellness, this run is focused on inclusivity, awareness, relationships and making a difference in our local community. We are thrilled this educational event has continued to grow in popularity since it began in 2018.”

All profits from the event will go toward improving and expanding the city’s adaptive recreation programs to encourage health and wellness, socialization and excellent quality of life for all. The programs – offered in collaboration with community partners – enable participants to enjoy the benefits that come with any athletic or recreational activity, such as a sense of camaraderie, improved confidence and new skills. To learn more visit kentwood.us/adaptive.
 

The accessible race route includes sections of the East-West and Paul Henry-Thornapple trails as well as a boardwalk — a “scenic spring route filled with woodlands, wetlands and wildlife.”
 

Online registration is available at RunSignUp.com. Registration is $35 through April 29. Race day registration is $45. Participants will receive a long sleeve t-shirt and swag bag as part of their registration. Packet pickup will also be available in advance of the event at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE, during business hours beginning at noon Wednesday, April 27.
 

The kid-friendly event will also include a 1-mile fun run for children ages 12 and younger at 11 a.m. along the same route. The kids race costs $10 per child and includes a T-shirt and finisher ribbon. There is also a playground at the park for children to enjoy.

Beth’s story of resilience, resolve

Beth Lowman, a 35-year-old local woman who has experienced bilateral limb loss, will share her story at the Limb Loss Awareness 5K.

Six years ago, Lowman was an active, athletic mom whose life was turned upside down when she developed dystonia, a disorder that causes muscles to involuntarily contract, in her left foot and ankle, according to supplied material.

Beth Lowman, a 35-year-old local woman who has experienced bilateral limb loss, will share her story at the Limb Loss Awareness 5K. (Supplied)

She was unable to walk and, after several unsuccessful treatments, chose amputation. In February 2020, her left leg was amputated below the knee and she was able to walk for the first time in four years using a uniquely custom-designed bent-knee prosthesis fit by her prosthetic team at Hanger Clinic in Byron Center.

But after a fall in January 2021, Lowman developed dystonia in her right foot and ankle, and underwent the amputation of her right leg below the knee in July 2021. Despite the new challenge, she continued to push forward, learning to walk again on two prosthetic feet this time.

And on those two prosthetic feet, combined with personal goal and a support system around her, she plans to walk across the finish line at the Kentwood 5K.

Beth Lowman, with her family. (Supplied)

“I continuously remind myself that although my life turned out differently than I planned, my life as an amputee is still vibrant and active,” Lowman said in supplied material. “It is important to celebrate the small and large victories, because those are what makes life flourishing.

“I will forever see my life as a victory if I keep setting goals for myself and celebrating each step forward. The world wasn’t made for amputees, but it doesn’t mean we can’t flourish, cheer each other on and set the world ablaze with our successes!”

More than just a 5K run

Phil Tower, a West Michigan radio personality, amputee and advocate for people with disabilities, will serve as the DJ at the Limb Loss Awareness 5K.

Race organizers are also seeking volunteers for the event. Those interested may sign up at RunSignUp.com. Four first-place awards will be given to the first adult men and women amputees and nonamputees who cross the finish line. More information is available at kentwood.us/LimbLoss5K.

The City of Kentwood is again partnering with Hanger Clinic to host the fourth Limb Loss Awareness 5K, all-ages and all-abilities event, on Saturday, April 30. (Supplied)

This year’s event will also include educational components and a peer support table. These resources will enable participants and attendees to learn more about amputation, prosthetics and orthotics. They also will connect individuals who have experienced limb loss or limb difference with one another, enabling them to provide support and build relationships.

The event will also feature several informational booths from various sponsors, including ACV Centers, Airway Mobility and Rehab, Buist Electric, Creative Mobility Group, Hunt 2 Heal, ITC Incorporated, Life Beyond Barriers Rehabilitation group, Mercury Labs, Inc., Muskegon Surgical Associates, New Wave Prosthetics, Proteor USA, Spectrum Health Inpatient Rehabilitation Center and Summit Labs LLC.

“We want people who are experiencing limb loss or limb difference to know they are not alone,” Nikki Stoner, Hanger Clinic care coordinator, said in supplied material. “There is a community here to welcome them and support them through their journey. This event gives us an opportunity to raise awareness and connect those experiencing limb loss and limb difference with resources and others in the community.”

Hanger Clinic, a local prosthetic and orthotic patient care provider, will also feature a memorial activity for Winter, the dolphin with a prosthetic tail who made her movie debut in “Dolphin Tale” on Sept. 23, 2011. Winter lost her tail after it became entangled in a crab trap in 2005.

In 2006, Kevin Carroll, an expert prosthetist and vice president of prosthetics at Hanger Clinic, fit Winter with a prosthetic tail that allowed her to swim again.

Winter died in November 2021 following an intestinal abnormality. This year’s event will feature a card-making station to celebrate the dolphin’s life. The cards will be sent to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Florida where an ongoing memorial is offered to honor her legacy.