In May 2023, Carolyn Buffington’s life took an unexpected turn. After a routine 3-mile hike, she was faced with a diagnosis that would forever change her path, leiomyosarcoma of the distal femur. Within weeks, Carolyn underwent a groundbreaking procedure: her cancerous femur, along with the top of her tibia, was replaced with 18 inches of…
Location: Basalt, Colorado Job: Medically retired Deputy Sheriff Limb Preservation Foundation (LPF): Tell us about the limb challenge you faced? Assaf: I couldn’t really wear a prosthetic due to severe complex regional pain syndrome. For the first few years after my amputation, the pain was severe. I couldn’t at all have a prosthetic and I was on crutches…
On an otherwise unremarkable evening, in April of 2022, Desiree Duran’s dog Cooper saved her life. Desiree was 23 years old at the time and studying Early Childhood Education. She had just turned out the lights and with Cooper right on her heels, she tripped over the dog and fell. She knew right away she…
Location: Denver, Colorado Work title and company: Project Manager at PCL Construction Services, Inc. Overcoming a limb challenge Please tell us about the limb challenge that you faced. Peter: I was involved in a motorcycle accident in May of 2001, which caused severe internal injuries along with Brachial Plexus Avulsions on the left sides of my…
Dan Schilke always tried to make the world a better place, and his friends are doing the same in his honor. Dan passed away in 2017 after a courageous battle with Ewing’s sarcoma. He was just a month away from turning 28 years young, but his impact on his friends, family, and the world around…
Tell us about your involvement with Limb Preservation Foundation. Nicole: In August 2015, I became the inaugural holder of the Wilkins University Chair at Colorado State University, named in honor of Dr. Ross M. Wilkins, who founded the LPF in 1986. Known officially as the “Ross M. Wilkins Limb Preservation University Chair in Musculoskeletal Biology and…
Location: Montgomery, Alabama Work title and company: Ambassador with Integrum Please tell us about the limb challenge that you faced. Gini: I was involved in a motorcycle wreck on August 12, 2012. My husband was killed instantly, and I broke every bone in my right leg in multiple places. After three years of limb salvage surgeries, I…
Katie’s high school years were marked by a challenging ordeal—an ongoing struggle with an unbalanced gait. Her right hip protruded noticeably more than her left, but it wasn’t until her sophomore year that she began to experience discomfort in her left knee, specifically when applying pressure to a particular spot. Initially, healthcare professionals attributed this…
Location: Lakewood, Colorado Please tell us about the limb challenge that you faced. Troy: I had Chondrosarcoma in my right shoulder blade and some in the joint. Limb Preservation Foundation (LPF): How are you doing now? What progress are you most proud of? Things have gone pretty well since my diagnosis (finds wood to knock on). All of…
Location: Bozeman, Montana Job: Director of Development – MSU Alumni Foundation Overcoming a limb challenge and amputation Limb Preservation Foundation (LPF): How are you doing now? What progress are you most proud of? Marc: My journey has been mainly positive since my diagnosis at age 25 and I am most proud that I was able to continue a very active lifestyle….