L/R - Jocelyn Hayes (myFM) and Megan Mantha
What does it mean to be disabled? If you ask Megan Mantha, she will tell you that she doesn’t know.
Megan is a 13 year old Fellows High School student here in Pembroke and she just happens to to have been born missing the lower portion of her left arm. While this does meet the criteria for the technical definition of disabled, Megan sees herself as anything but.
The War Amps of Canada is an organization that is very near and dear to Megan and mother Sally who will be rolling down the highway to Ottawa this weekend for a seminar to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the War Amps Child Amputee (CHAMPS) Program. Megan has attended annual gatherings of the organization practically since birth and she remembers how she first got involved with The War Amps:
This year’s conference will be extra special as Megan will be attending for the first time as a Junior Counsellor where she will connect with old friends and make new ones and be able to share her stories as she has enjoyed hearing the experiences of others for so many years.
Mother Sally Mantha was told by doctors 20 weeks into her pregnancy with Megan that she would be born missing her lower left arm and hand so she is considered medically as a “congenital left arm amputee”. A teacher at Megan’s older sister’s school has a son with an almost identical affliction and Sally remembers well the conversation that took place back then:
The seminar this weekend in Ottawa will bring together approximately 100 Champs and their parents to meet, talk about growing up as an amputee, and have some fun celebrating the CHAMP 50th anniversary.
Jocelyn Hayes is Sales Person with myFM and she too was born without a portion of her left arm so meeting Megan was a chance to share experiences and echo her sentiments towards the folks at WAR Amps:
Megan is looking forward to her new role this weekend as she has benefitted for so many years hearing the knowledge of others in the organization and now it’s her turn to share her success stories:
The confidence that radiates from Megan is a direct result of her involvement with the CHAMP program, says Sally, who ended the conversation with her overall thoughts about the organization:
We wish Megan and her family and all of those who will attend the seminar this weekend the very best of luck!
(Written By: Richard Evans)