Ben Blecha
Ben Blecha grew up in Benkelman Nebraska, a community of 1000 people that was very supportive of him in his time of need during a bout with bone cancer. Later, while studying electrical engineering at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Ben had trouble with the hardware of his knee replacement that he needed due to the osteosarcoma. As a result he had a rotationplasty amputation to preserve length and function. Basically, he chose amputation because he wanted to get back to being an active person and living LIFE!!
He found that a rotationplasty prosthesis was hard to fit for most prosthetists. In fact, rotationplasty is not that common of an amputation. The ankle is turned 180 degrees and made to work as the knee joint; the knee is actually the area amputated. So BenI figured, who best to figure it all out but him. He began his journey at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center’s prosthetic and orthotic program.
After school, his orthotic education was furthered at UT’s orthotic residency program. He gained pediatric expertise while working on staff at the Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Greenville, SC. His prosthetic residency was at Rehab Designs of America in Kansas City. Through his residency programs he became eligible to sit for boards to become a Certified Prosthetist/Orthotist.
He later worked for a private facility in Denver. During this time he started volunteering for the Physician’s for Peace “Walking Free” program in Guatemala. Walking Free develops self sustained prosthetic clinics by furthering education of rehabilitation specialists in the Country.
