Milwaukee woman raises money for new prosthetic leg: ‘I can’t wait to be mobile again.’

MILWAUKEE — On the age of 11, Lori Kopchinski was instructed that she had an 8% probability of residing for 3 extra years.

She was recognized with Osteogenic Sarcoma – an aggressive bone most cancers. Her physician mentioned she wanted to amputate her leg and start chemo straight away.

Her amputation was per week later.

Since shedding her leg at 11, she says her aim has been the identical: “I simply wished to reside as usually as doable,” mentioned Kopchinski.

After defying the percentages stacked towards her and residing 42 years longer than her medical doctors predicted, she’s now going through a brand new problem for the primary time: not with the ability to afford a brand new prosthetic leg.

She says that is partially to altering protection for prosthetics over time, which aren’t deemed a ‘medical necessity.’

Which means, if accepted by your supplier, insurance coverage will solely cowl 80% of the price.

That leaves the opposite 20% as much as the amputee to pay.

“Now prosthetics are custom-made, they match the physique higher, they are much safer,” shared Kopchinski. “However in addition they price generally as a lot as $80,000 or extra.”

After rising out of her earlier prosthetic following a number of health-related surgical procedures on her amputated leg, she has been unable to afford her finish of the price for a brand new prosthetic.

She’s been with out a leg for the previous two years, relying solely on her crutches.

It was her daughter, Abigail, that pushed her to achieve out for assist.

“My mother has all the time had a prosthetic in my life, and it’s all the time been necessary to her,” Abigail shared. “I might simply see, when she didn’t have a leg, the way it affected her.”

Lori now has a GoFundMe elevating up the prices to get a brand new leg. Because of a supportive group she’s reached a big portion of her aim.

“In a matter of days, I’ve began to have hope,” she mentioned. “I can not wait. I can not wait to be cellular once more.”

She says she’s wanting ahead to with the ability to do issues on her personal once more, like grocery store, family duties, and even strolling across the neighborhood.

She’s extremely grateful for the assistance she’s obtained from her assist system, and hopes it will deliver to mild the cost-prohibitive nature prosthetics pose to many amputees.

“I’ve a lot assist, a lot love round me. What’s it like for individuals who don’t have an enormous group of assist to assist them via this?”

Her daughter Abigail can also be grateful for the assistance via this.

“She wouldn’t have been in a position to be the wonderful mother that she was with out her leg and I simply suppose it’s so necessary that she’s had it. It simply helps her be part of my life and I get to be part of her life extra.”

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