Young Amputee Enabled to Chase Marathon Dream

Tomasz Starnawski, 33, is able to chase his dream of participating again in the New York City Marathon, thanks to a talented surgeon, a capable prosthetist, and financial help from the Capital Health System (CHS) Foundation, Trenton, New Jersey.

The CHS Foundation, a nonprofit public foundation, works to develop and cultivate philanthropic relationships and support within the community to foster programs and services to improve quality of lifeand personal dignity of Capital Health System patients and area residents.

Starnawski, originally from Mielno, Poland, now lives in Morrisville, Pennsylvania. A lifelong sports enthusiast, he made running a major part of his life, having run in the Berlin Marathon four times (2000-2003) and, upon arriving in the United States, the New York City Marathon once (2003) as well as an assortment of 10Ks and lesser-known marathons. After finishing the New York City Marathon in about four hours in humid conditions, his hope was to be able to compete at least once moreuntil he lost his leg.

Almost a year ago, after a minor automobile accident, Starnawski and a friend had pulled over to the side of the road to wait for police. Another car, attempting to pass the accident scene, struck Starnawski and left him lying on the side of the road, his lifehanging in the balance.

"Due to the trauma suffered during the accident, it was hopeless to be able to save his leg from the knee down," said Scott Miller, MD, chairperson of the Surgery Department at Capital Health System and the orthopedic surgeon who operated on Starnawski. "Above his knee, however, he only sustained a broken femur and heavy skin trauma. Since his thigh muscles were still intact, we were able to generate skin grafts and set the broken femur, which, once healed, allowed him to be fitted for a prosthetic leg.

"Since he was working for a small, independent roofing company, Mr. Starnawski was uninsured," said Miller. "With his limited resources, I had to not only find him a prosthesis but also a therapist with expertise in amputation patients. But since the majority of amputee patients are normally less active people, I needed to find a therapist with experience in rehabilitating a young, athletic man with aspirations of once again running in marathons."

Miller arranged for a prosthetic leg from Lawall Prosthetic/Orthotic Services, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which serves patients in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, New York, and Maryland. He found his therapist in Stacey Halvorsen, MS, PT, staffphysical therapist at CHS. "We started therapy in September, about five months after his accident and surgery," said Halvorsen. "After we found a prosthesis that fit his thigh, he began walking with two crutches, graduated to just one crutch, and finally a cane before being able to walk on his own, which he has been able to do now for over three months."

According to Halvorsen, the next challenge was slowing Starnawski down in therapy as his strong work ethic and will to compete in a marathon again pushed him through a strenuous regimen, and three different prosthetic knees--an expensive problem for someone unable to continue his full-time job as a roofer and without insurance.

Knowing Starnawski's financial challenges, Halvorsen sought out possible financial aid resources that might be able to help his situation. The CHS Foundation answered the call by allocating $1,000 toward his new prosthesis.

At present, Starnawski remains on the road to recovery. According to Halvorsen, he is now able to run a mile and a half in addition to his exercise regimen. But despite 24.7 miles to go before being able to complete the 26.2-mile New York City Marathon and the mounting payments he continues to make out-of-pocket on his prosthesis, Starnawski remains optimistic that he will one day make it across the finish line.

For more information, visit http://capitalhealth.org

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