Thea

I was born with a condition called Proximal Femoral Focal Deficiency (PFFD) and got fitted for a prosthetic leg when I was one year old. I have never known anything different than living life with a prosthetic leg! Growing up, I was a pretty active kid. I walked to and from school, I learned to ski with the Disabled Skiers of BC program, and I was in swimming lessons. One thing I was not a part of, though, was team sports. I did not think that I was good enough to be on a team with able-bodied kids. And I HATED running – I was always the slowest in my class and I would be out of breath so quickly!

It was during my time as a student teacher (around 2004) that I realized I was gaining, ahem, a few extra pounds. I started working out at the gym at night, but the cardio component was on the elliptical machine, which I did not particularly enjoy. On a family trip to England, my cousins and Aunt and Uncle would go running, and that, to me, seemed like such great exercise. At that time I had just a regular prosthesis for everyday use (besides my swimming leg), so when I got home I started running around our local track. It didn’t take long before the ankle broke and I had to take my leg in for repairs. This happened a couple more times before I requested that I get a leg made specifically for exercising. This leg did not have a flex foot, but it was made of carbon fibre and had more shock absorption for activities like running. It was also perfect for the gym or for exercises classes.

For a few years, I worked out and ran short distances, but felt that I wanted to get to the next level in running. A co-worker of mine was starting to run half-marathons, and I was frustrated because I felt that running a longer distance such as a 10k or more, comfortably, was a goal of mine that would never be reached. I went back to Barber’s and requested a leg that I could use specifically for running, that would allow me to run longer distances than I was currently doing. That was when I got my leg with the flex foot, and it has been amazing. With proper training I was able to complete several 5 and 10 km races – it was so light and bouncy compared to my other exercise leg! In 2016 I decided that I was ready to challenge myself and complete a half- marathon. I knew I could never be someone who just decided to run one of these on a whim, but with the proper training I thought I could do it. Angela at Barber’s actually gave me some great tips on running half-marathons, and she gave me the confidence I needed to believe in myself. I managed to successfully complete my first one in 2016, and then I completed my second one in 2019. My time goal was 2:45 and I finished it in 2:45:24, running the entire thing without stopping. For me, running is such a great way to stay in shape. I run outside at least twice a week, as well as at OrangeTheory fitness once a week, and every so often I sign up for a race to keep me motivated!

The other side to my fitness journey is para-ice hockey. In 2010, when the Olympics were in Vancouver, I was working out at the gym (it was a female-only gym) when I noticed a man at the front desk staring at me. I had to go to the front desk for a moment, and he introduced himself as the coach of BC’s sledge hockey team (now called para-ice hockey). He told me that I needed to come and try it and that they were always looking for new members. I had been interested in trying it previously but I hadn’t known where they practiced, and I was also a little shy about just showing up one day, so this was just what I needed to feel comfortable trying it out. From the first practice I was hooked. I had always been a hockey fan but one thing I could never figure out successfully was ice skating. My balance on a sledge was good and since my arm strength and core were strong, I was very fast. I progressed in the sport quite quickly, and before long the other female player on the team told me about Team Canada and suggested that I try out. So the next season I tried out for Team Canada and made the team! In the following years I played for both Team BC as well as Team Canada. I also started growing my family in 2013, so there were some breaks in there while pregnant and having a newborn at home. After I had my third son I made the decision not to try out for Team Canada again; I didn’t think all of the travel would be fair on my husband having to look after three boys on his own! I am still playing locally when I can fit it into my schedule between kids’ soccer practices, birthday parties, etc. When my children are older, I hope to be able to get back to it more seriously. Being part of a team and experiencing a win or an amazing moment with my teammates is something that I never appreciated until I started playing para-ice hockey, and I miss the high level of competition.

Last spring I was watching TV and noticed an amputee runner in a Fitbit commercial. I thought to myself, “that might as well be me!”. So I emailed someone that I knew was an agent and asked if they would represent me. I had to send photos and she didn’t let me know one way or another whether she’d accept me as a client, but a few weeks later she emailed me a casting call for female runners of any body type, as well as male amputee runners. She suggested I apply for it anyway, so I did, and they called me for a Skype interview and then an in-person callback. I ended up getting the part, and when I found out more about the commercial it was for Marvel, which was pretty cool! In the commercial I’m running up a big hill in my running leg. I spent a good chunk of the day on set waiting for my call time, and in the end it only took two takes! Even though I am a full-time Math teacher, if there are more acting opportunities that come up I would be interested in doing them. I have always been interested in drama and everyone on set was so friendly and it was an amazing learning experience.

In summary, participating in sports is a large part of my life and I wish I’d taken advantage of para-sport opportunities from an earlier age. I’ve seen prosthetic leg technology evolve over my life and I’m so lucky to be able to have four different legs that I use to meet different requirements in my life. Very rarely have I felt significantly different than someone who is able-bodied, but participating in para sports and the athletic community in general has made me realize how lucky I am to be part of the para-athlete community as well as the able-bodied one.