Name: Kimberly Olson
Occupation: Patient Advocate
Type of Amputation: Right BK
 In 1990, Kimberly Olson was diagnosed with osteomyelitis, an infection of the bone and bone marrow in which the resulting inflammation leads to reduced blood flow to the bone. As a result of this infection, Kimberly underwent an amputation on her right leg, below the knee.
After experiencing a few failed prostheses and meeting with several different prosthetists, Kimberly decided to give the Venture Foot a try in November 2005. Although she never considered herself an athlete, after about 6 months on the Venture Kimberly decided to test her endurance and compete in the rock climbing event at the 2006 O&P Extremity Games.
"Before wearing the Venture, I would have never considered competing at the Extremity Games," she admits. "I didn't know how lacking I was in energy." With her new Venture, Kimberly has been able to spend a few hours every day training at her local gym in preparation for the games. "The Venture made everything easier. Now it's not as hard to walk," Kimberly asserts.
"My Venture foot has made an enormous difference in my quality of life. In the past 16 years I have worn other feet and was able to get around, but that was about as much as I had come to expect. Now I don't have to work so hard to make my foot function normally. I have more energy left to do what I want to do--whether it's playing with my kids, going on a long beach exploration around California, or working out in a belly dancing class. There are lots of things in life I could take or leave, but I won't give up my Venture foot!"
 
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