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Life with Billy

Imagine being 13 years old and told you have cancer; they have to amputate your leg at the hip. For Joanne Dixon, it was not a bad dream; it was reality.

Following the operation, she underwent two gruelling years of chemotherapy. After missing out on so much of her youth, Joanne was ready to take on the world when she felt well again. She skied competitively, helped other kids with disabilities learn to ski, and even tried out for the disabled ski team. She went to school and became a nurse's aide. She fell in love, married, and settled down to raise a family.

But life with a prosthetic leg is no picnic, especially when you are as active as Joanne. She is raising three teenagers, Clayton, Chelsey, and Cortni, works at the hospital in Moose Jaw, and helps her husband Darren run a cow/calf operation on their ranch west of Chamberlain. She loves to ride horses and frequently saddles up to help with the cattle. The problem is that with amputations as high as Joanne's, fitting a prosthetic limb is an ongoing challenge. With a lifestyle as busy as hers, matching fit with function for different activities is an even bigger challenge.

About 10 years ago, a family member suggested Joanne get in touch with the Saskatchewan Abilities Council. When she did, she felt an instant connection with Jack and Stan in Orthopaedics.

As a fellow amputee, Stan understood one very important fact: every person has unique needs.

Before she came to the Council, Joanne had simply been fitted with a prosthetic suited to her type of amputation. At the Council, she was able to talk about her life – what she did at work, on the ranch, at home. Communication was open and honest. Jack and Stan listened to her needs and adapted a prosthetic limb to fit her lifestyle. Her children promptly nicknamed the new leg "Billy."

Today at 38, Joanne remains a whirlwind, working in her community, raising her family and sharing in the chores of a family ranch. Life with Billy has been good. But as she gets older, she has found that balance is becoming more of an issue, especially for riding. Jack and Stan not only help ensure her prosthetic leg continues to meet her needs, they recently helped build a rigging to give her better balance on horseback.

Thanks to the Saskatchewan Abilities Council, she is sitting tall in the saddle.