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The teens and their chaperones — a skilled
team of doctors, nurses and physical thera-
pists—were given the opportunity to reach
the heights necessary to ski at the National
Sports Center for the Disabled in Winter
Park, Colo. This year marks the 32nd year
the hospital has made this remarkable trip
and the eighth year thatAmericanhas spon-
sored the group’s air travel. As a certified
prosthetist who specializes in creating pros-
Altitude. It is as essential for downhill skiing as it is for
flying. ThisFebruary, Americanhelped 13 teenagepatients
with limbdifferences fromTexas ScottishRiteHospital for
Children inDallas tobeable toexperienceboth.
thetics for Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for
Children (TSRHC) patients, it has beenmy
privilege to lead thehospital’s annual ampu-
tee ski trip for thepast 25 years.
Time has not altered our basic mission:
We aim to take a group of teenagers with
amputations to the premier adaptive ski
program in the country to learn how to ski.
Helmets, specialized ski equipment, a tool-
kit to repair prostheses and good attitudes
are requiredon this journey.The remarkable
thing is, something quite magical happens
in theprocess of theweek. By venturing into
the relative unknown, away from family and
peers, and sharing laughs, struggles and suc-
cesses with each other, they become a team.
Perhaps without realizing it, they help each
other heal in one way or another. I know
this because it happened tome the first year
I went on this trip, and this sentiment has
onlygrownover time.
I lostmy own legs below the knees due to
bacterialmeningitisIacquiredasa freshman
in college. That experience, and the process
of learning towalkonartificial limbs, ledme
to study prosthetics and eventually to prac-
tice at TSRHC. I can honestly say, however,
that skiingwith these teenagers for the past
25 years, some with physical challenges far
greater than my own, has taught me more
than I could have ever imagined. They have
shownme that laughingwhen I fall andnot
being embarrassed to take my prostheses
off in front of others is a far greater way to
viewmy circumstance. Each year these kids
inspireme tobe better inmy profession and
better in life.
Onbehalfof themany teenagerswhohave
shared this pinnacle event over the years, I
want to thank American Airlines and the
Miles for Kids in Need program. Without
the thoughtfulness and dedication of these
two entities, we would not be able to give
our patients this experience of a lifetime.
American’s generosity gives our patients an
opportunity to discover just how high they
can soar.
For the past 26 years,
Don Cummings
has
been the Director of Prosthetics at Texas
Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, one of
the nation’s leading pediatric centers for the
treatment of orthopaedic conditions, certain
related neurological disorders and learning
disorders, such as dyslexia.
To learnmore, volunteer ormake a
donation, please call (214) 559-5000
or (800) 421-1121 or visit tsrhc.org.
ContactUsAnytime
• Tobook reservations, logon to aa.comor call Reservations at (800) 433-7300.
•Americanwould love tohearwhat you think about our airline andour employees. Pleasewrite tous at aa.com/customerrelations.
TheRiteMission
Annualamputeeskitripteachesmorethantechnique
1.
DonCummings straps in for adayon the slopesduring theTexas ScottishRiteHospital forChildrenan-
nual ski trip.
2.
Cummingspoints amputeepatient JordanSimmons andvolunteers in the right direction.
3.
PatientDakotaEldridge leads thewaydown themountain.
1
3
2
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