This Manchester Paralympian is Helping Amputees Achieve Their Dreams
During her freshman year of college, Division 1 athlete Noelle Lambert lost her left leg in a moped accident. Noelle had dedicated her life to lacrosse and was playing at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Despite her injury, she knew she had to keep playing and focused on finding a way to continue her athletic career and not let her injury define her.
Noelle worked with several nonprofit organizations and eventually received a specialized prosthetic for running that allowed her to continue competing. Noelle was grateful for the help — a specialized prosthetic like this can cost up to $50,000 and is rarely covered by insurance. Without it, she couldn’t have returned to competition.
Noelle was so inspired by the nonprofits who helped her that she became determined to help others in need of prosthetics. While still a college student, Noelle started her own nonprofit, the Born to Run Foundation, to help other children and young adult amputees.
Since 2018, the Born to Run Foundation has donated specialized prosthetics to 14 individuals in need, including one as young as four years old. With the assistance of prosthetics provided by Born to Run, these individuals have been able to return to running, weightlifting, or simply taking walks on the beach.
As if starting her own non-profit wasn’t enough, after college, Noelle continued to compete at an elite level — switching from lacrosse to track and field. Earlier this year, Noelle not only qualified for the U.S. Paralympic Team, stamping her ticket to Tokyo, but also clinched the American record in the T63 division 100-meter dash.
Noelle’s grit, perseverance, and compassion for others represent the best of the Granite State. Her ability to turn a traumatic experience into an opportunity to help others is an inspiration to us all. I will be rooting for Noelle as she competes in the Tokyo Paralympics, and I am honored to recognize her as July’s Granite Stater of the Month.
Do you know a Granite Stater who should be next month’s Granite Stater of the Month? Nominate them here.
