HOUSTON – It’s been two years since Houstonian Cam Ayala had his right leg amputated above the knee. After 19 surgeries, a failed knee replacement and a lifetime of struggling with complications from Lymphedema, a condition that caused his leg to constantly swell, Cam and his doctors felt that amputation was the best option.
Since the amputation, Cam has been off and running -- literally.
“It really did give me a new lease on life because I have a whole new appreciation for just mobility in general,” said Ayala, who says he has been trying all kinds of sports and activities that he hadn’t previously.
A few weeks ago Cam completed his first triathlon, something he chose to do in honor of his friend who recently lost a limb to cancer.
Next month, he’ll set out to climb Ecuador’s Cotopaxi, one of the highest active volcanos in the world with a summit of 19,347 feet. Getting to the top will require Cam and his fellow hikers to endure below-freezing temperatures in the middle of the night and temps above 80 degrees during the day. Those extreme conditions are worth facing, Cam says, considering he is climbing in honor of his new friend Sloane -- an 11 year old amputee from San Antonio.
He’ll also be raising awareness and funds to help provide prosthetics for other amputees through the non-profit organization ROMP -- Range of Motion Project. Over the last decade, ROMP and their partners and volunteers have helped change lives by providing more than five thousand prosthetics to those who need them.
Cam imagines a kinder, more equal world with better mobility and access to care for amputees all over the world. He also plans to continue trying new things and telling his story to help others with physical limitations not feel so isolated.
Losing a leg was something Cam never wanted nor expected, but he says he wouldn’t trade his new, broadened perspective on life.
“It’s really honestly been a blessing in disguise,” he says.
Watch Cam’s interview with Houston Life’s Derrick Shore and check out his fundraising page if you’d like to get involved.