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SJ Faces: Andrea Varone
Courier Post - Sunday, July 30, 2006 There isn't anything artificial about Andrea Varone's passion for helping amputees. Varone, 42, who's been a physical therapist at Marlton Rehabilitation Hospital for 10 years, specializes in the treatment of those who have lost limbs, conditioning them to continue the normalcy of their lives through the use of prosthetics. In addition to the physical therapy sessions that Varone conducts at Marlton Rehabilitation Hospital, she's the founder of an amputee support group, "Amps In Action," for recent and veteran amputees. It not only provides a forum for its members to exchange insights, but has also afforded them an outlet for sports activities. Many of its 20 active members recently participated in the Pennsylvania-based Eastern Amputee Golf Association's second annual First Swing and Learn to Golf Clinic, which was held May 17 at the Indian Springs Country Club in Marlton. Q: What's the biggest misconception regarding amputees? A: Probably that their life will have to change, and that they won't be able to do what they did before because they lost their limb. When people hear that someone has had a limb amputated, they immediately think that the amputee's life is over, that they'll never be the same. If these people visited my Amps In Action support group, they'd see that that's absolutely not the case. It's true that most amputees have to modify the way they do things, and while it's also true that there are quite a few amputees whose lives will be impaired due to them being older or from an illness, most of these people do go on and enjoy active lives. Q: You've been instrumental in working with patients with the C-leg prosthesis. What is that? A: The C-leg is a computerized knee made by the Otto Bock Company. It's been available for at least nine, 10 years. There's a microprocessor inside the knee, and it allows the prosthetist to adjust the computerized settings and have the amputee walk with a normal gait. I consider it to be the biggest advancement in prosthetics in over a decade. To me, it's the gold standard of all the prosthetic knees that are currently on the market; it increases the amputee's ability to function. Q: What led you to organize the Amps In Action support group? A: Our first meeting was in January 2000, but I was trying to start a support group for several years before that. I had a discussion with a couple of my patients about the need for a support group. One of the things about being an amputee is that, unless you're another amputee, you can't understand what they're going through. Amputations can be a very isolating experience, and to literally lose a part of yourself is different from any other type of loss that one can suffer. Q: Why are you so passionate about your work? A: I guess it's because I feel I can really help these people. As a physical therapist, I feel I've found my niche with teaching amputees how to walk with a prosthesis, and improving the gait as well as the quality of life of amputees who may not have learned how to walk correctly with a prosthesis. I've found that many patients I've had have turned out to be the most amazing people I've ever met. Their inner strength and positive outlook continue to inspire me. Frank Halperin SJ Faces shines the spotlight on interesting people to watch in South Jersey. |
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07/04/2010 09:11:11 AM |
