My name is Justin Salvatera and I have been an amputee for over 20 years. When I was a child, only 12 years old, I lost my leg due to cancer. I had a bone tumor, and it was tough, but we were really fortunate to catch it early. I had a slow recovery due to some other medical things, so I was on crutches for a long time. When I did finally get a prosthesis, it was really a big day, it was certainly a new way of life.
When you become an amputee you’re an amputee forever, it kind of changes who you are, it changes you in a big way. It became part of my identity, where I grew up, I was the only other amputee I knew. So, it was cool when I moved to Philadelphia years ago and I just googled looking for a good prosthetist and I found and went to some other prosthetic companies first, but I did not get the care that you expect that you would get from a family-owned company. But luckily, I found out that there was a Lawall office here and I started working with the Lawall family.
It is like a giant community of support. When I first came to work at Lawall, I came in for my first appointment and Jack was here he immediately made me feel comfortable and assured me that we were going to make a leg that fits right.
I was living an active lifestyle at the time, I was a chef, and I was working long days and hours, so having a proper fit on the leg was critical. I am incredibly grateful for the Lawall family, it is such an incredible family company, to begin with and it’s great to be a part of that. I would recommend Lawall to any amputee, anybody who is looking for orthotic or prosthetic services the level of care the level of passion I have not found anywhere else it is an incredibly special place.
…and Bill McConnell doesn’t often miss what he aims at! A gun enthusiast and longtime hunter, he refused to allow severe damage to his right leg to stand in the way of doing the things he loves. And now, after a transtibial (below-the-knee) amputation and a new prosthetic Proprio Foot, he’s picking up the pace in pursuing his favorite activities.
Read the inspiring story of Megan Yocum, a Lawall patient and amputee who overcame significant mobility challenges with the help of our experienced team of certified prosthetists. Discover how our personalized care and support helped Megan achieve her goals and improve her quality of life. Visit our website to read Megan’s story and learn more about Lawall’s prosthetics and orthotics services.
You might say that Stephanie Elliott’s journey as an amputee has been illuminated and brightened by her past experiences—and by lessons she hadn’t been aware she was learning, until she needed them.
That journey began on Dec. 28, 2020, at the height of the pandemic. She arrived at the emergency room with her left leg dramatically swollen, due in part to diabetic complications. After a three-day battle, she lost the leg due to sepsis.
“It was sad, it was sudden; and because of the Covid lockdown, nobody could be with me at the hospital,” she remembers. “My daughter had to drop me off at the ER. My husband had to dial in to participate in the amputation discussion with the vascular surgeon.”
