We are grateful to Team River Runner and to Dana Alexander for making us aware of this opportunity, and for all they do to help our wounded warriors!

Sean Cumings

The Given Limb Foundation is pleased to announce the Sean Michael Cumings Camp Scholarship.  The scholarship will enable two children to attend the Paddy Rossbach Youth Camp run by the Amputee Coalition of America during the summer of 2010.

Sean Cumings was an amazing young man from Westbrook, CT, who lost his life last year at the age of 24.  Sean lived his short life as a reflection of who he was: genuine, friendly, funny, and full of love. One warm handshake from Sean with his beautiful smile and you knew you met a new friend.  Sean was passionate about his workouts and his chiseled body was like a work of art.  Sean also loved to fish with his brother Alex and his Uncle Brian, do silly impressions and joke with his best friend Mat, laugh and love with his girlfriend Abbey, bug his Dad to use his car, hug and tease his Mom, and play with his do, Shay. His brother, Alex, will always look up to his big brother Sean. Sean was a student at Southern Connecticut State University completing his last year in sociology and criminal justice.  Sean also leaves behind a lifetime of friends too numerous to mention, because everyone Sean met became his friend.  Sean’s parents, Laura and Peter, noted Sean’s love of children in asking Given Limb to find a fitting tribute for donations made in Sean’s name.

Camper at ACA's Paddy Rossbach Camp for children with limb difference, photo courtesy of ACA

The Paddy Rossbach Youth Camp fit the goal perfectly in that it offers a traditional camp experience to children ages 10-17 who have lost arms or legs or were born with limb difference.  Since its beginning in 2000, the camp has hosted more than 450 campers from 42 states and three countries.  Attendance at the camp is made possible without cost to the campers and many of the counselors are former campers who volunteer their time.

We extend our thanks to Sean’s many family and friends for making these scholarships possible. Their loss will be transformed into lifetime gains for many children whose confidence and abilities will be expanded by the camp experience.

Anyone interested in making a donation to the fund may do so by clicking here to be directed to the “Donate” page, and by specifying that the contribution is for the Sean Cumings Memorial Scholarship.

It also includes $2.1 billion for OIF/OEF veterans needs, $580 million for prosthetics and traumatic brain injury research, $183 million to focus on female veterans health care needs and $3.2 billion for the start of the VA’s goal of ending homelessness among vets in five years.

Hopefully, the bill will receive final approval before year end.

But in October, in a Federal Way clinic in the Seattle area, the Palestinian teen with a 100-watt smile stood on two feet again, thanks to a team of Seattle area residents who donated their time and money to bring him to Washington and get him a prosthetic leg.

How did it happen?  The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund knew that a group of people in Seatlle had helped raise funds following the attacks.  PCRF asked them to help with Sobhi.  In turn, help was provided by the Preferred Orthotics and Prosthetic Services in Federal Way founded by Fred Cato and Karl Entenmann, both graduates of the University of Washington’s Prosthetic program. Entenmann, a native of Seattle, said he and his team would make the socket to fit over Sobhi’s leg. He then called manufacturers to see if they could donate the other parts for free.

Now Sobhi is going to school in the Seattle area while he receives fittings and physical therapy….and says his prosthetic leg feels just like his real one did.  Kudos to the Seattle volunteers and professional prosthetists for making another “given limb” success story.