Group Helps Adaptive Athletes Overcome Physical Obstacles
By Joel Hillan
MORRISON, Colo. (CBS4) - Jessica Kidd is a personal trainer, athlete and coach.
"Mobility for me is freedom, and I just feel like it should be a right, not a privilege."
She is using her gift of mobility to help raise money for the less able through ROMP, the Range of Motion Project.
"It takes $1,000 for us with our partners to provide one person with a prosthetic," she said.
It's help for athletes like 27-year-old Wladimir Caza. He was run over by bus when he was three years old. His amputee soccer team recently won a title in Ecuador. ROMP provided him with a new prosthetic leg in May.
The organization has helped more than 3,000 people get fitted with prosthetics including their youngest at just 15 months. More than 300 are still on the waiting list.
One of the ways Jessica raises money is by giving special group workouts like this one at Red Rocks Amphitheater.
"The workout this morning reminds you about what it's like to be able to go up the stairs with two legs or jump up and be able to do that, or when you're climbing to be able to climb with one arm," said Barbara Newman who signed up for the chance to sweat for a good cause.
She volunteers with ROMP and has a passion for working with adaptive athletes -- most recently on an ice climb in Ouray.
"They are just such a fun group of people to be around and they have a wonderful time with life. They just enjoy everything. It's just such an amazing group of people," Newman said.
She will be a part of a big fundraising climb to the top of Mount Sanitas in August.
Newman feels part of the way we can honor those disabled athletes across the world is by taking advantage of the opportunities we have here in Colorado.
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"Get out there and enjoy our beautiful state, no matter what your level of fitness is or abilities."
LINKS: ROMP | Donate To ROMP
Joel Hillan anchors CBS4 This Morning on weekends as well as reports stories for CBS4 News at 5 and 6 p.m. Follow Joel on Twitter @joelhillan.
