Who Says I Can't?

Take a team of Chicago Running Bloggers, a Muddy Monk and 320ish runners and what do you have? Run for Boston 5k in Libertyville, IL. And while the other bloggers are writing about their race day experience (read here here and here) I thought I'd touch on the Who Says I cant? foundation.

I would not have missed today for anything even though I was horribly tired at 5am, when my alarm went off. I drove an hour to Independence Grove Forest Preserve to help set up for the race. Set up went very smoothly, there was an abundance of volunteers and the weeks worth of organizational emails we received, ensured we knew where we should be, when we should be there and what we needed to do. Thanks Maggie.

The race went off without a hitch and while we were waiting for the winner I chatted to Jothy Rosenberg founder of Who Says I can't? foundation.

Taken from the Who Says I Cant website

"Jothy Rosenberg is an above knee amputee caused by osteosarcoma 39 years ago in 1973. Three years later the cancer metastasized and 2/5 of his lungs had to be removed. A course of chemotherapy -- only just out in clinical use in 1976 -- is probably why he is still here today. He went on to get a PhD in computer science, to author 2 technical books, to found 6 high tech companies, to ride in the Pan-Masscahusetts Challenge bike-a-thon supporting the Dana-Farber cancer institute 7 times, to swim 16 times from Alcatraz to San Francisco to support Boston Healthcare for the Homeless, and to participate in many other sports and fundraising activities." (Taken from the Who Says I Can't? facebook page.)

Jothy Rosenberg and I actually have something in common, we both suffer from neuropathic pain but Jothy's pain is in the toes which he doesnt have. Seems strange right? well yes and no. Phantom Limb syndrome is very real. Jothy explained that as we were standing and talking he was actually wiggling his missing toes.

A phantom limb is the sensation that an amputated or missing limb (even an organ, like the appendix) is still attached to the body and is moving appropriately with other body parts. Approximately 60 to 80% of individuals with an amputation experience phantom sensations in their amputated limb, and the majority of the sensations are painful. (Wikipedia)

As Jothy and I stand in the rain waiting for the runners to finish he explains that the brain maps out the entire body's nerve system at the age of 2 years and that after that time its very hard for the body to forget them, hence the sensation and the pain.

My own normal neuropathic pain is very hard to treat even with being able to ice my limbs or massage them to help relieve my symptoms. I cant imagine how difficult it is to live with pain in a foot which you dont have. :(

Todays race raised funds go towards Jothys foundation "Who Says I Can't?" and ultimately onto helping those who suffered amputations as a result of the bombings at the Boston Marathon this year. Jothys aim is to help those affected carry on their active or extreme sport lifestyles. 

For further information on Jothys foundation visit the official website.

 Media reports on Jothy's achievements

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/brookline/2011/08/on_biking_the_amazing_story_of.html

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/08/23/extreme-athlete-with-one-leg-one-lung-inspires-others/