inMotion Magazine

Being Informed 39 total amputee population. Because this population is so small, finding accurate, up-to-date information can be challenging. As a result, misconceptions are common and expectations for new hip or hemipelvectomy amputees tend to fall toward extremes. “Surgeons will tell most patients that they’re never going to walk again,” Christina says. So, when the Balkmans contacted her and expressed their concern about their son’s future mobility, she told them that he would absolutely walk again. “I encouraged his parents to just let him thrive, and that is exactly what he has done.” After learning how to walk with a prosthesis, Chandler learned how to hike, water ski and snow ski. He even played wheelchair tennis for a year. He “officially” met Christina a year after his amputation at the Amputee Coalition National Conference in 2007. “Dr. Skoski encouraged me to not set limits,” Chandler says. “She mentored me with support, encouragement and her incredible example of fortitude. She has been a wonderful example to look up to.” The Value of Peer Support Christina knows how powerful an information and peer support network can be. “When I had my amputation in 1962, there was no Amputee Coalition, no support groups, nothing that answered questions for new amputees and their parents,” she explains. So, for the next 35 years she learned from experience. In 1997, she had a major setback with her prosthesis. She was not able to wear her leg because her socket no longer fit and was causing too much pain. She was on the verge of giving up when she found the Amputee Coalition: “I found a new prosthetist, and a whole new world opened up for me.” Since that time, Christina has been a pioneering advocate for disseminating hip disarticulation and hemipelvectomy information. In addition to creating the first comprehensive Web site to address the needs of hip and hemipelvectomy amputees, she has served as a longtime presenter of the hip and hemipelvectomy seminar at the Amputee Coalition National Conference and as a member of the Coalition’s Science & Medical Advisory Committee. Now 71, Christina is ready to pass the torch to someone new. She encouraged Chandler to present the hip and hemipelvectomy seminar at this year’s conference, something he was glad to do. His message was about thriving as a person with hip disarticulation or hemipelvectomy amputation. “Presenting at the Amputee Coalition conference allowed me to share what I’ve learned and help others find solutions,” says Chandler, who is also a few months away from becoming a certified prosthetist. Chandler’s experience as a presenter also helped him realize how passionate he is about helping hip-level amputees receive good care and helping prosthetists provide better care to this patient population: “Often, too much is expected of hip-level amputees because we are lumped into a basket with above-knee amputees. But there’s a dramatic difference in using a prosthesis that incorporates two joints.” Next-Gen Amputees Christina says that Chandler represents the next generation of hip and hemipelvectomy amputees, particularly those who are using the latest prosthetic technology to maximize their mobility. Chandler uses a microprocessor knee and was one of the first people to be fit with the Ottobock Helix3D hip joint, the first hip joint to use hydraulic control during walking. “I’ve been fortunate to have prosthetists who had experience working with the hip level, which is not very common,” he says. “A lot of my success has been possible because I believed it was possible. I believed it was possible because others showed me the way. It’s crucial that we join together and share experiences so we can thrive as a group and as individuals.” (Left to right) Hip-level amputees Chandler Balkman, Christina Skoski and Travis Fortson at the 2008 Amputee Coalition National Conference. Dr. Skoski encouraged me to not set limits,” Chandler says. “She mentored me with support, encouragement and her incredible example of fortitude.