Veteran Climbs Mt. Kilimanjaro After Care at The Hand & Upper Extremity Center of Georgia
Cameron W. of Acworth, Georgia, is a retired Marine Corps Infantry captain and stay-at-home dad. In 2010, he sustained severe injuries serving in Afghanistan including the loss of vision in one eye, amputation of his right leg, and significant damage to his right arm and hand. Despite these challenges, he has dedicated himself to parenting, coaching, volunteering, and supporting other veterans.
Prior to 2023, Cameron struggled with limited use of his right hand. This significantly impacted his daily life and physical activities. In February 2023, he climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro with a group of fellow veterans.
Two surgeries performed by Dr. Gary Lourie at The Hand & Upper Extremity Center of Georgia improved Cameron's hand function significantly. He credits these surgeries for enabling him to train and climb Kilimanjaro.
"The only way I was able to train as hard as I did and accomplish what I set out to accomplish was because of some hard work, but also because of the more efficient use and comfort and strength in my hand resulting from those surgeries," Cameron said.
“I couldn't even do a push-up before. Now, I can use my hand more than I did before.”
He continued, "I couldn't even do a push-up before. Now, I can use my hand more than I did before. And that was important when it came to using hiking sticks, which is a vital part of me as an amputee. I have a hiking stick in each hand and it's a full body, full speed ahead. I don't just hike with my legs. I hike with my whole body: shoulders, muscles, triceps, hands."
In 2014, Cam met Bill Ivey, the executive director of Homes For Our Troops (HFOT), a nonprofit that builds and donates specially adapted homes nationwide to the most severely injured post-9/11 veterans. Cam received a home from HFOT, and as part of their normal follow-up, Bill recommended his arm surgeon, Dr. Lourie, to Cam.
In Cameron’s involvement with Homes For Our Troops, he believes organizations like this and Dr. Lourie's work are essential for veterans. Dr. Lourie serves as a surgical consultant with HFOT's Rebuilding Lives Network, assisting veterans as they move forward. "The long story short is: building these homes kind of gives these guys a chance to get out from under maybe financial difficulty or stairs and narrow hallways and be able to rest and recover when they're back home. And that's the only reason it was possible for me to do something like Kilimanjaro and the other things that I've done since," he said.
"But it's funny how it's about rebuilding lives. HFOT builds homes and rebuilds lives, and Dr. Lourie is rebuilding limbs. He's building limbs back the way that they should be so that people can get out and do what they love and accomplish what they did before or even surpass that and do even more," Cameron added. "I've seen a lot of doctors in my time. I've probably had 50 surgeries, and I've been through the gamut. I'm glad that I have. It makes me a better person today than if I would have had an easy life. And I would rather be where I am now. But Dr. Lourie and his bedside manners, his staff, what he chose to take on, and his follow-up to make sure that I'm okay, Dr. Lourie is the one." Equally as vital to Cam's success included the skill of medical assistant Brittany Logan, occupational therapist Elisa Hardin, and orthopedic technician Andrew Pocock.
Reaching that mountaintop in Tanzania and coming back down, and everyone and everything that helped him get there have had a lasting impact on Cameron. “And I continue to see more positive changes in things that I'm doing. Whether it's through hard competitions or races or hikes or marathons and whatnot. But it all started right down the mountain with those kind people from Tanzania.”
The Hand & Upper Extremity Center of Georgia, along with Dr. Lourie, are proud to be part of the lives of patients like Cameron and honored to provide the care needed to help them keep reaching their goals. To see if one of our experts can help you, please call (404) 255-0226 to schedule an appointment or request an appointment online.
To learn more about Homes For Our Troops, click here: https://www.hfotusa.org/