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18 year old teen Jessica Rogers was born with sacral agenesis. The condition impaired the growth of her lower spine and left her legs underdeveloped. But the inspirational teen, from Springfield, Virginia is hoping to make the USA team for wheelchair track in the Paralympics and also has made a name for herself in disability sports.
Jessica said, ‘A good part of my spine is missing and because of that everything below where my spine stopped growing was not fully developed, so my legs were very small. Jessica was born in Brazil, where she spent the first 14 months of her life in a residential care facility.’
Jessica said, ‘A good part of my spine is missing and because of that everything below where my spine stopped growing was not fully developed, so my legs were very small. Jessica was born in Brazil, where she spent the first 14 months of her life in a residential care facility.’
She was then flown to the US for medical treatment. There she was looked after by Phyllis Rogers, who later officially adopted her. Mum Phyllis was amazed by how mobile Jessica was at a young age. She was already raising six adopted children with different disabilities.
The mother said, ‘Jessica learned to walk on her hands the same way babies learn to crawl and walk on their legs – through practice and gaining strength and experimenting.’
The malformation of her lower limbs was one of the biggest challenges for young Jessica.
The 18 year old added, ‘They were bent in a sitting position which was challenging for sitting arrangements and for my mobility.’ Doctors They were bent in a sitting position which was challenging for sitting arrangements and for my mobility when she was 3 years old. Phyllis said, ‘The legs were in the way and for convenience sake it was decided to have sur^gery so that the lower legs were removed at the knee.’
The mother said, ‘Jessica learned to walk on her hands the same way babies learn to crawl and walk on their legs – through practice and gaining strength and experimenting.’
The malformation of her lower limbs was one of the biggest challenges for young Jessica.
The 18 year old added, ‘They were bent in a sitting position which was challenging for sitting arrangements and for my mobility.’ Doctors They were bent in a sitting position which was challenging for sitting arrangements and for my mobility when she was 3 years old. Phyllis said, ‘The legs were in the way and for convenience sake it was decided to have sur^gery so that the lower legs were removed at the knee.’
To recover from the amputation, it took Jessica six months. She was quickly stunning onlookers with her athletic abilities. Jessica, who uses a wheelchair for mobility, said, ‘In the back of my mind I always knew I was a little bit different from the other kids. I didn’t see it as something that makes the way I am wrong or as something that I can’t overcome.’ She made a name for herself in disability sports including track and basketball and also became a swimming champion. Now Jessica runs wheelchair track events and dreams of taking part in the Paralympics.
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