Hope Bevilhymer lives up to her name. She provides hope to those who have experienced limb loss. Hope had her right leg amputated below the knee, at the age of 25. Despite her own experience with limb loss, she advocates for those who have experienced amputation throughout the globe.
Hope Bevilhymer was born on a snowy night in December, 1976. She was born with bi-lateral clubfeet. The right foot was turned in and upside down. The doctors started stretching her foot at the age of 2 weeks old, followed by weekly castings. Her first surgery was at the age of 3 months. She continued with over 20 surgeries, stretching, casting, braces, gangrene, pain management, etc. At the age of 18, Hope had a leg lengthening procedure, called Ilizarov. This included metal rods through her bones, in which she turned daily, over a 2 year period of time, which lengthened her leg 2 ½ inches. The pain in her leg continued, despite all of the doctor’s knowledge, and all other options. In June 2002, Hope had her 30th surgery, to amputate her leg below the knee.
Amputation sparked a drive in Hope. She watched a documentary on landmine victims, and saw the “need” of people in developing countries. Hope founded The Limbs of Hope Foundation, in October 2003. The organization was started to collect prosthetics in the United States, and ship or deliver them to developing countries. Through her experience of amputation, she realized that people were just discarding the prosthetics, due to product liability laws, while developing countries could use the components.
In October of 2004, Bevilhymer and two companions delivered the first 55 prosthetics in the Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh. In October 2006, Hope traveled back to Cambodia where her organization delivered more prosthetics and replaced a basketball court for individuals in Cambodia, who have experienced limb loss. In June 2007, Hope traveled to a Romanian orphanage where she donated prosthetics and brought sporting equipment for the kids.
Hope is an athlete she tried out for the USA Womens Para Ice Hockey Team in 2016 and made the roster. She is the goalie for the team and in 2018 her and her team won the gold medal in the World Cup Womens Para Ice Hockey Team. She is going to continue her hockey career until she receives a gold medal in the Paralympics.
Honors: March of 2005 Hope was the youngest recipient of the Volvo for Life Awards. Hope received 2 Honors for the Volvo for Life Awards. She received the Quality of Life Award and she was named Americas Greatest Hometown Hero as the grand winner of the Volvo for Life Awards.
July of 2005 Hope was again the youngest recipient of the “Days of 47” Pioneer of Progress in Education, Health and Humanitarian Award.
2018 Gold Medal winner in the Womens Para Ice Hockey World Cup.
