The "I Want to Walk" program helps children receive orthopedic treatment and assists children with special needs to adapt in society. Through the program, many children have received medical treatment at the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas.  Life in Motion has worked closely with specialists from all over the world to help those children for whom the dream of walking is unattainable. Moreover, the "I Want to Walk" program helps orphaned children find employment and education opportunities after they leave orphanages.

In 2019, Life in Motion’s Moscow-based partner “Zhizn v Dvizhenii” has opened the first ever Children’s Prosthetic Center "I Want to Walk" (Hochu Hodit') in Russia. The center provides children with necessary orthopedic care, including development of prostheses. The honorable Board Members of Life in Motion - Dr. Tony Herring and prosthetic specialist Don Cummings from the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children have been supporting the team during every single step. They have consulted and trained Russian doctors, helped organize and install the prosthetic lab.

I Want to Walk changed these children’s lives

Olesya

17-year-old Olesya was born with a disability that prevented her from being able to walk. In January 2020, she traveled to Texas Scottish Rite Hospital Children for Children, where world-renowned surgeons performed an amputation of her right leg. She later had undergone physical therapy and orthopedic treatment. Today, she has a new prosthetic leg and is learning how to walk (and play the game of frisbee!).

Pasha

When he was just 6-years-old, Pasha lost both of his arms in a terrible accident. His incredible courage allowed him to adapt to a new life. In 2019, Life in Motion helped Pasha travel to the Certified Limb & Brace Center in Louisiana, where Henry Richter, an expert in prosthetics and orthotics, designed and manufactured a new prosthetic arm for Pasha. This has given him freedom that he had not experienced since his childhood. In spite of all the odds, Pasha decided to run the 2019 New York City Marathon! Which he successfully completed! His courage and willingness to defy his disabilities is a bottomless source of inspiration!

Denis

15-year-old Denis came to Texas Scottish Rite Hospital in the summer of 2018. He was born in Moscow, Russia and was adopted by a family in Texas a few years ago. Denis does not have lower limbs and arms. The doctors at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital made wonderful protheses for Denis' legs and now he is able to walk! Denis was also able to spend time at the 2018 Camp Out on the Limb, which brings prosthetic patients together to share and support one another through all their personal journeys of dealing with the daily issues faced by amputees. The Camp included activities such as swimming, archery, arts and crafts, Putt-Putt golf, fishing, zip line, ropes course, scavenger hunt, and nature exploration games. 

Feruza

In February 2018, Feruza travelled to Texas Scottish Hospital in Dallas, TX. She is 12-years-old and comes from St. Sophia's Social Home in the Moscow region. As of right now, the doctors decided to not perform a surgery on Feruza's leg, but she will be provided orthopedic support and physical therapy in order to improve her walking!

Prokhor

Prokhor is a very cheerful 5-years-old boy, living in Moscow. He is very sociable and has many friends. Prosha, as his older brother and sister call him, wants to learn how to play football and ride a motorcycle, but... in order to make his dreams come true he needs to have surgery and a prosthetic leg.

We plan to bring him in the end of April to the US for his prostheses procedure. Prokhor will be walking on his own soon!

There are kids, just like Prosha, who dream to walk one day. Please, donate for our "I Want to Walk" program and help a child make his special dream come true. 

UPDATE Fall 2017: We are happy to report that Prokhor has successfully gone through his surgery and is feeling amazing. He not only got his prosthetic leg but also another prosthetic leg specially designed to help him run. Prokhor is now very active and looking forward to learning to do sports!
 

Alyosha

October 2017, 17-years-old Alyosha arrived in Dallas, where he will get excellent new prostheses at the amazing Texas Scottish Rite Hospital! Alyosha is missing a foot. He needs a new comfortable prosthetic leg because he will soon start attending a university. Alyosha is missing both hands, but he is an excellent piano player! He is very talented! Alyosha played the piano at the 2017 Life in Motion concert at the Theater of Nations. He often participates in international competitions and concerts. We are confident that he will be very accomplished!

Polina

15-years-old Polina comes from a far-East city of Khabarovsk. She is currently in high school. Summer 2016, she traveled to Texas Scottish Rite Hospital to have an amputation of her right leg and receive a new prosthetic leg. The surgery was successful and she is now walking! Her dream is to study in Saint Petersburg and become a fashion designer.  

Rahman

8-years-old Rahman comes from a little Chechen village near the mountains. Rahman is missing a leg. In July 2015, Rahman came to Texas Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas to get a prosthetic leg. After the examination the doctors determined that Rahman needs an additional surgery in order to make a prosthetic leg, since his nerve is naked and there is not enough tissue to protect it. The surgery will prolong his stay. The healing will take about three weeks and only after that the doctors will start working on his prostheses. We need to raise more funds to cover Rahman's stay, accommodation and translation services at the hospital. To raise funds for Rahman and other kids, who have a dream to WALK we will be climbing mount Kilimanjaro again this August. Please, support our mission and make your donation which will help Rahman to walk! http://www.gofundme.com/tq34mwc

July 2018 Update 

Rahman came to Texas again to get a new set of prostheses. He underwent a successful surgery before trying on a new prosthetic leg. He received a regular prosthetic leg and an athletic one that will allow him to run! 

Deni

Deni came to Dallas, TX in the summer of 2014. In just one month, Deni received orthopedic treatment at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital and learned how to walk!  

Aslan

Aslan received a prosthetic leg at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas, TX in July 2014. He came from a remote Russian mountain village to have his dream of walking finally come true! 

Lena

Lena Lebedeva, a 10-years-old girl from Russia, came to the U.S. in the summer of 2010. Life in Motion have made Lena's dream of walking come true! To be able to wear prostheses, Lena had undergone a surgery at the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas, TX. In October of 2010, Lena returned to her hometown on her own legs! In 2015, Lena came back to the US to get her second set of legs.

Sasha Pokhilko 

Sasha Pohilko, a 29-year-old artist, was born in the suburbs of Moscow. At the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, he got not two, but three prostheses! He sketched one of the ideas that he had for one of his prosthetics for the doctors and asked them to make it. The doctors agreed and made his, as well as their own version of prostheses. The prostheses will allow him to become even more mobile. Sasha also drew wonderful portraits of the doctors, nurses and other employees of the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. He surprised everyone so much with his talent (drawing without having any hands), that Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children organized an exhibition for his drawings. Now Sasha is going to one of the best art schools in Moscow, working with the “Artist Foundation” and having art classes with little kids in Russian orphanages.

Sasha D'Jamoos

Sasha D'Jamoos was born in Penza, Russia. He came to the United States in December 2006. At the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas, TX, Sasha underwent an amputation of his lower limbs to be fit with prosthetic legs. In 2007, Sasha was adopted by a wonderful family from Plano, TX. Since his adoption, Sasha received a degree in Government from the University of Texas at Austin and a law degree from Boston University. Today, he works at a law firm in Boston and continues to volunteer for Life in Motion!  

Dima

Dima Ivanov came to the United States when he was six years old. Today he is walking on his new legs! Having survived an amputation, phantom-limb pains and the difficulties of the first steps, he now can walk by himself!

Dima was adopted in March of 2011 by an incredible couple, Greg and Trudy, who were his foster family while he was in Dallas for the surgery. They shared with him his pain after the amputation and they helped him take his first steps on his own. They couldn’t let him go back to the orphanage. He became their son. They gave him a chance to have a new life!

Maxim

Maxim Abramov was born in a remote Russian town. When he was just a baby, Maxim suffered severe burns from a fire at his parents' house. Nearly 30% of his body was burned, and he had suffered severe injuries on his legs, which had to be amputated. Maxim came to the US in 2012, and was fit with prosthetic legs. Now he is able to walk!!! Currently he lives with his adoptive family in Saint Petersburg, Russia.  

Viktor

Viktor Kochkin grew up in an orphanage, in a remote Russian town, Nizhny Lomov. He was born with deformed legs, which deprived him of the ability to walk. In 2010, Viktor came to Dallas, TX, where he had an amputation of his lower limbs for orthopedic treatment. Now, Viktor has prosthetic legs and is able to walk! Viktor is an excellent break-dancer, and upon his return to Russia, he became famous for winning a major talent show in 2011. He has won a million rubles, met with numerous Russian celebrities and even met the Russian President Vladimir Putin! And because of the 'I Want to Walk' program, Viktor is able to walk and further realize his dreams!  

Sveta

In March 2011, Sveta was only six-years old when she arrived at the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children for a surgery and a new prosthetic. She had already undergone several surgeries in the past in Moscow. Due to abnormal bone growth in the remaining part of her amputated leg, the prosthetic did not fit well. The prosthetic she had in Russia was very heavy and uncomfortable. Svetlana returned to Moscow in May 2011 on her new prosthetic. She is WALKING, running and enjoying her freedom of motion!

In April 2013, Svetlana needed a new prosthetic. She had been growing a lot during the two years and her prosthetic became too small. It became hard for Svetlana to walk. In May 2013, Svetlana returned to Texas to get her new prosthetic. She was very happy to meet with her favorite doctors. Dr. Herring examined Svetlana on May 15th and confirmed that she did not need a surgery in order to get a new prosthetic. In June 2013, she went back to Moscow with her foster mother. Svetlana is very happy now. She thanks everyone, who helped her to walk again with joy!

Ivan

Ivan grew up in an orphanage for children with physical disabilities near a remote Russian town, Nizhny Lomov. Ivan was born with a deformity on one of his legs - a disability that prevented him from using both of his legs for walking. The prosthetic leg that was made for him in Russia was very heavy  and uncomfortable. In 2009, Life in Motion raised funds for Ivan to come to the US for a surgery and orthopedic treatment. The surgery went very well, and soon after, Ivan got a new prosthetic leg. Now Ivan is walking and pursuing a university degree in Russia.