Noah's Story: Anything Is Possible

Noah, 18, began his collegiate football career at Westfield State University this fall. At first glance, he was like other incoming freshmen athletes chasing their dreams, but for Noah, this milestone was especially meaningful.

Diagnosed with clubfoot before birth, Noah became a patient at Shriners Children’s New England when he was just 1 week old. Clubfoot is a congenital orthopedic condition that results in one or both of a baby's feet pointing down and turning. In Noah’s case, just his right foot was affected. His care team began casting treatment immediately to correct his foot position, and then bracing to try to maintain it.

When he was 3, Noah was also diagnosed with fibular hemimelia, a congenital limb deficiency condition characterized by the underdevelopment or absence of a lower leg bone. Two bones in his right foot had also fused, making walking difficult and movement painful. Despite this, he still learned to ride a bike and tried every sport that interested him as he got older. “We always told Noah he could do anything he set his mind to,” said his mom, Melissa. “It might be a little different than his friends, but with the help of Shriners Children’s, we found a way to make it happen.”

Treatment options for Noah’s limb deficiency ranged from foot reconstruction to a guided growth procedure, to amputation. With a goal to improve function and provide a stable base for weight-bearing, amputation appeared to offer the best outcome.

“We went to amputation clinics, talked to many families and did a lot of research,” said Melissa. “We spent three years thinking about this very serious decision and included Noah in the decision-making process. It all came down to how he felt.”

When he was 9 years old, Noah underwent an amputation of the foot at the ankle joint that preserved the heel pad. He was optimistic about the decision. “I had seen athletes do great things with prosthetics,” he said. “I was ready and kind of excited.”

After the surgery, Noah worked with physical therapists at Shriners Children’s New England to acclimate to his new prosthetic leg and foot. “It was weird to walk at first; kind of like learning to ride a bike again,” he recalled. Moving with equal leg lengths and without pain enabled Noah to progress quickly. “Before, I would hobble or skip around. Afterward, I was more stable and could quickly change direction. It was the best decision I could have made.”

As Noah grew, football became his passion, and the Pediatric Orthotic and Prosthetic Services, or POPS, team at Shriners Children’s worked with him to determine which prostheses could withstand the physicality on the field. In high school, he played offensive and defensive tackle. “You need the power of leg drive to help move a person who weighs 300 pounds,” he explained. “In one week, I broke my prosthesis four times, and the POPS team was there to fix it for me every time.”

Today, Noah is grateful to be able to compete alongside his peers at the college level. “I’m just as capable as anyone else,” he said. “When players from other teams find out I wear a prosthesis, they are blown away.”

While his limb deficiency may not be evident to those on the football field, Noah is happy to share his inspiring story with others. “The best part of my experience during my treatment at Shriners was hearing other people’s stories,” he said. “It always helped me figure out ways to adapt and move through problems, and now I want to help others in the same way.”

Today, Noah serves as a Shriners Children’s New England Patient Ambassador, and most recently spoke to all-star high school football players from Vermont and New Hampshire at the Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl in Castleton, Vermont.

"I want to show others that anything is possible," Noah said. “Thanks to the support of Shriners Children’s New England, I’m living proof of that.”