Jade’s Amazing Journey: Pedaling Toward Possibility

Ten-year-old Jade from Monterrey, Mexico, knows a thing or two about courage.

Whether she’s tackling a new challenge in therapy or finding creative ways to make the most of every day, she faces life with determination. She’s an artist who loves to draw cartoons, a chef-in-training who likes to cook spaghetti for her family, and an active young girl who refuses to let her medical condition keep her from accomplishing her goals.

Jade has been a patient at Shriners Children’s Texas for the past eight years, receiving specialized care for a malformation in her right foot. Her orthopedic surgeon, Cody Sanderson, M.D., said, “She has proximal focal femoral deficiency and fibular hemimelia with a non-functional foot. She was in an extension prosthesis that was not very functional. For some of these kids, an amputation for better prosthetic fitting can be an option. We amputated her foot to get her into a better prosthesis. We are going to get her the new prosthesis, work with therapy, and get her better than she ever has been!”

With this new chapter in her treatment, Jade’s world has been opening up in ways she once only imagined. Her recovery and progress have been shaped in large part by her physical therapist, Chris Whitehead, PT. “He taught me everything that I know about how to walk, how to bike,” Jade said. “And I love all the attention that he's been giving me in terms of my treatment.”

“Jade was a pleasure to work with,” Chris said. “We worked with her on prosthetic training to help her become more independent with walking on level surfaces, stairs and uneven outdoor terrain like gravel. She worked hard in every session, adapting quickly to each challenge to meet her goals. Her effort and positive attitude made a big difference in the progress she achieved.”

For years, Jade longed to do something many kids take for granted: ride a bicycle. While her friends would ride off on their bikes, Jade could only watch. That changed after she received her new test prosthetic and began working with Chris during therapy. It was in the hospital, during one of those sessions, that Jade experienced the thrill of riding a bike for the very first time.

It was a simple moment, but one that reflected a new sense of freedom and the joy of finally being included. Now, her mother hopes to buy her a bicycle when they return to Monterrey, a gift that will represent both Jade’s progress and the adventures that lie ahead.