Photo supplied by The War Amps
A local teenager is thanking a national charity for amputees and people in need of prosthetic limbs for helping her to enjoy one of her favourite pastimes more easily.
14-year-old Megan Mantha of Pembroke was born missing her left arm below the elbow. Her mother Sally connected with The War Amps, a charity that helps people in need of prosthetic limbs, shortly before Megan was born for support.
Mantha says her experiences with the charity have been nothing but positive over the years, and that everyone associated with the War Amps is extremely passionate about the work that they do.
In her free time, Mantha says she’s an avid cyclist and has been for years, enjoying it while camping and while out with friends. The War Amps recently helped her acquire a new attachment for her prosthetic arm that makes it easier – a sort of clamp that attaches to the end of the prosthetic on one end and her handlebar at the other.
The charity has also provided her with several other attachments over the years, including one called a “mushroom tumbler” that resembles the palm of a hand.
She also has an additional attachment for kayaking and similar activities that helps her grip oars and paddles, and she used to have an attachment that helped her play basketball when she was younger.
Mantha says the War Amps also helps her get fitted for new prosthetic arms to use with those attachments at regular intervals. She currently gets fitted once a year.
Mantha adds that the charity is extremely easy for her to get in touch with if she needs something, saying all it takes is a single email. She’s thanking everyone who donates to the War Amps for helping to make support like what she receives possible for people all over Canada.\
(Steve Berard)
