Kicking For Kids Who Can't

SILVER SPRING, Maryland (WUSA) -- At 22 years of age, Cynthia Chester could never imagine how just living day-to-day would change.

Cynthia says, "I didn't realize how different it was 'til I was living it myself."

On August 3, 2008 Cynthia's life changed.

Cynthia explains, "I lost my leg. I had a really bad ex-boyfriend and he shot me with a shot gun and I lost my leg."

Barbara Chester, Cynthia's mom, had seen her share of trauma. Through trips to Walter Reed Medical Center and having a son fighting in Iraq she couldn't believe it was her daughter that would lose a limb.

Barbara says, "My daughter. Peace time, at home. My son on the front lines of Iraq as a Marine. And my daughter becoming an amputee at home at peace time?"

Cynthia's mom recalls the many medical struggles they would encounter during this new adjustment period.

"Especially for the type of surgery she needed, the bills were just racking up and she had no insurance," says Barbara.

Cynthia remembers that, "I was glad to be ok. I had high spirits to get better, but mentally and physically, you want to be like everybody else and when I didn't have a prosthetic going in public and stuff it really messed with me."

Ginna Goodenow, the founder of Kicking for Kids Who Can't, says few every truly understand what an amputee child requires.

Ginna says,"Amputee children are growing at the same rate normal children grow. Therefore, they need a prosthetic 2 to 3 times a year."

Morgan Sheets with the Amputee Coalition of America says critical services and basic care is still needed for those living with a disability.

"They run into caps and restrictions, they'll be denied coverage for repair. We have to make sure that prosthetic devices are a part of the minimum national health care package," says Morgan.

In Cynthia's case, it took 3 months to get a new one. Now finally thanks to organizations like Kicking for Kids Who Can't, she'll get that new prosthetic leg.

"I had a lot of hard times. Like when I came home, I didn't have insurance. So I had a really hard time, especially when you're sick and anemic. I was still in a wheelchair," says Cynthia.

Cynthia believes it is her faith, family and friends that today allow her to smile.

"You have to have faith. I know that God makes no mistakes, and that no matter what, I'm gonna be OK. And if I just keep having positive energy positive things will come to me," says Cynthia.

The Kicking for Kids Who Can't Kick-a-Thon is this Sunday on the National Mall from 1-3:30pm.

The cost of the event is $10.