24 Mar

From Set to Skatepark: George’s Inspiring Life as a Congenital Amputee

Meet George; a 26-year-old actor and skateboarding enthusiast who was born with Femur Fibula Ulna Syndrome which resulted in a deformative right hand and a through-knee amputation of his right leg. Thanks to the collaborative work of his prosthetist Danny, the wider LPC team, and his local NHS treatment centre, George lives life to the fullest with the tools he needs to achieve his goals! Here's what George had to say about his journey as a congenital amputee.

"Currently, I'm a part-time actor. I work with the BBC and the Emergency Services in casualty simulation. They will make me up as if I've been injured in a scenario, and then we'll have medical treatment provided to me.

My name is George Gooding and I'm 26 years old. I was born in Southsea, Portsmouth, with Femur Fibular Ulna Syndrome which resulted in a deformative right hand and a through-knee amputation of my right leg.

In my case, I had a few extra challenges which I took in my stride really. I realised that I was different from everyone else in my class, but I took that as almost a way of being special. I've got a lot of support from that in the way that I'd inspire others to be the best that they can be.

I was connected to the London Prosthetics Centre (LPC) through my local NHS treatment centre. LPC has provided me with the Naked Prosthetics Grip Lock Hand as well as the PROTEOR Easy Ride knee for skateboarding and other sports. Both of these devices have helped me tremendously in life physically as well as mentally having the tools for the job in life. It is just perfect for what I want to achieve.

I've always been interested in skateboarding as well as other extreme sports ever since I was a young child. The Easy Ride knee lets me skate and move how I would like to move on the board and off the board as well as taking away any safety concerns that I may have. I made the inquiry with Danny and the team at the London Prosthetics Centre and they were more than happy to get in touch with the relevant authorities to provide this.

My experience working as an actor part-time has given me far more confidence in life to speak about myself and my own experiences. Working with other amputees has always been a passion of mine, helping to pick each other up, and helping with any questions or concerns that we may have in our own lives.

The functionality of the Grip Lock hand on a daily basis really gives me back the fingers that I was born without. I’m able to hold a cup or whatever I need in my right hand again. My Quattro knee is a microprocessor knee (MPK) that I was fortunate enough to have provided to me by my NHS treatment centre in Portsmouth. It will constantly adapt to any surface I may be on at any time, such as a grassy area, a hill, or coming down the stairs, and will take any of the stress or safety concerns that I may have out of the equation.

My parents have never treated me any differently from any other child and have always given me exactly what they thought I needed growing up. I'm hoping to inspire other amputees who may have either been born with a congenital disability like myself or who have had a traumatic accident, to get back up and live the life that they want to live.

The advice I would give to young amputees would be to not give up. It's so easy to sit at home and feel sorry for yourself at any given time, but you'll find that if you believe in yourself, you'll end up convincing others to believe in themselves as well. There will be days when you're not feeling 100%, but that's the most important time to push through and get on with life."

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From Set to Skatepark: George’s Inspiring Life as a Congenital Amputee

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