Launch of the Amit Melave project by the Lottery and The Next Step to support new amputees, aiding in rehabilitation and sports for about 40 individuals, and sharing inspiring stories.
By IN COLLABORATION WITH MIFAL HAPAIS Viola Yamit Gutman(photo credit: PR)
Eight years ago, Avital Gez's life changed completely. Avital, a former cyclist in the Israeli cycling team and Israeli triathlon champion, was at the time working as a cycling instructor at the annual cycling event of the organization The Next Step and as part of her work was exposed to Elisheva's story - a story that ultimately led her to recalculate a route.
"Elisheva is my age and even studied like me at Ben Gurion University in Beersheba," says Avital. "During one of her school semester vacations, she flew to South Africa to visit her family. One day she crossed the road at a crosswalk and a speeding car didn't stop, ran over her leg and cut her off on the spot. The case was difficult and I couldn't ignore its banality, and because of that I also like Elisheva, I could find myself amputated and in a similar situation."
At that moment, Avital realized that she had found her calling. "This case made me focus on physical therapy for amputees and I even started a bicycle group for amputees, from there I quickly ended up with the organization The Next Step, which is the home for amputees in Israel. Since then Elisheva and I have become good friends and I learn a lot from her - both as a friend and as a physical therapist."
Assistance to about 40 new amputees
Here is the place to point out that these days the Amit Melave project was launched, a joint project of the Lottery with the organization The Next Step whose goal is to accompany the new amputees the day after. Thanks to the project, 'The Next Step' and the lottery factory will help about 40 new amputees.
The rehabilitation process that amputees of various types go through, whether they are trauma amputees or disease amputees, is naturally a long and complex process. The amputees are not only faced with the loss of essential functional abilities, but often with stumps that become infected, with phantom pains (ghost pains or phantom sensations in the amputated limb), emotional crisis, and more.
One of the critical steps in this complex rehabilitation process is physical therapy, and this is where Avital comes into the picture - a physical therapist at Shiba Tel Hashomer, and the manager of the sports field in The Next Step.
The physical therapy itself varies from segment to segment and includes, among other things, balance exercises, endurance exercises, contraction exercises, walking exercises with crutches or walking sticks, and so on. In amputees, the main part of physiotherapy focuses on strengthening the pelvic and lower back muscles for proper standing, walking with a prosthesis, stepping on the whole foot, climbing stairs and so on. In amputees, the physiotherapy focuses on the fine motor skills of the prosthetic hand. All this while accompanying the amputees and their families and cooperating together with them as part of the rehabilitation process, during which the most advanced technologies will be adapted to them.
Gez, who has worked in the organization for several years and is exposed to exciting stories every day. One of them is etched in her memory. "We have a member of the community who is a woman about 50 years old, amputated below the knee since childhood as a result of a car accident. For most of her life she managed to hide the fact that she was amputated by wearing long, loose pants and avoiding entering the pool or the sea. When she became a grandmother and would go with her grandchildren In the summer she used to be shy and stay outside. All this changed when she knew The Next Step. This is one of the examples that reflect us, a woman who made a change in life and started enjoying new things."
Gez is not only a physiotherapist but also the manager of the sports field in the organization, and as part of this she is responsible for the diverse sports activities offered to amputees. These include normal activities such as swimming or cycling, but also CrossFit, climbing wall, surfing, and much more. "There is a close connection between sports and physiotherapy," Gez explains. "In both, we train the body, strengthen it and get it used to the new situation. Physiotherapy is done for around an hour and a half a day, so it's really not enough and the sport is the completion of the necessary training and exercises. Especially now, against the background of the "Iron Swords" war, these are people who were very fit high before the amputation and we want to preserve it. At the end of the day, you can't give amputees back their arm or leg, but you can give them back their body functions, and that's what we're focusing on in The Next Step."
Avital adds that during the Swords of Iron war she was exposed to amputated soldiers whose story of struggle is truly inspiring. "At the beginning of the war, I volunteered at Sheba in the rehabilitation department for amputees," she says. "In the department I knew an officer who was injured on October 7th and he was simply admirable. His amputation was very complex, the kind of injury where you don't think he'll ever be able to walk on both legs, even with a prosthesis. But he just didn't give up on himself. He had sky high motivation And he used to practice Pilates, Crossfit and boxing, and all with only one leg, something that not everyone can do. Today, he walks on a prosthesis and it's really a case of him being "against all odds". from the war. Their individual successes became a kind of victory for all of us, a national victory."
''Despite the difficulties, I decided not to despair.'' Viola Yamit Gutman (credit: PR)
Viola's new reality
The story of the amputee officer mentioned by Avital reminds us, among other things, of the importance of sports for the continued life of amputees, and their recovery. A tangible example of this can be learned from the amazing story of Viola Yamit Gutman. Viola, now 46 years old, has been amputated below the knee since the age of 20 due to an illness that broke out without any early signs. "When I was 20 years old, I got sick one day with something that felt to me at the time like another seasonal flu. But over time the flu didn't go away and suddenly red spots started to appear on my limbs. I thought that this too would pass, but later my leg started to hurt a lot and I decided to go to the hospital."
She really couldn't have predicted the unexpected sequel. "With the pain in my leg, I started having very strong pains in my stomach and when I was examined at the hospital, the doctors found out
To their amazement my intestines are completely rotten due to blood clots in the intestines and leg, unexplained blood clots. My condition rapidly deteriorated and at its peak I was in life-threatening condition and went into a coma for an entire week. At the same time, the doctors had already cut out my intestines and tried to save my leg, but unfortunately it started to turn black and they had to cut it out as well."
In the hospital, young Viola woke up to a completely new reality for her. "Despite the difficulties, I decided not to despair," she says. "In those days I studied at an acting school and the goal I set for myself was not to continue my studies and not to limp even with a prosthesis. Luckily I was able to train my body to do this and to this day I do not limp. Later I graduated from acting studies and for 20 years I have been an actress, creator, singer and also a caregiver emotionally in children and teenagers." ''Through playing sports I met many people who became my very good friends.'' Viola Yamit Gutman (credit: PR)
In the last 6 years, Viola has also included extreme sports training in her busy schedule. "I first heard about extreme sports for amputees through the organization The Next Step and since then I have been involved in acrobatics, wall climbing and cycling, and I even won second place in the Israel Paralympic wall climbing championship." , she says. "Sport contributes a lot to my life. Beyond the fact that it contributes to the strengthening of the body, health, mood and body image, it allows me to overcome challenges in front of myself, and in fact shatter my glass ceiling. In addition, through playing sports, I met many people who became my very good friends and are now a part of my life."
