‘Whole new world’ for Beverly athlete
Bombing survivor bestows new prosthetic blade
A tenacious 9-year-old girl from Beverly has a new $15,000 prosthetic leg and a fresh outlook on life thanks to the hard work of Boston Marathon bombing survivor Heather Abbott and some Medfield middle school students.
Swapna Oslund received her new prosthetic blade last week, and since then she said she has barely taken it off.
“It’s great, it helps me run faster,” Swapna told the Herald. “I wear it all day.”
Swapna was born in India and lived in an orphanage before she was adopted by T.J. and Maren Oslund when she was a year and a half old. She was born with amniotic banding syndrome — a prenatal condition that resulted in her being born with conjoined fingers and only a partial left foot, her mother said.
The youngster has undergone 18 surgeries, Maren Oslund said, and had her left foot amputated above the ankle in 2014.
An avid basketball player, Swapna broke three walking prosthetics and tired more quickly than her peers during games because she had to carry around the heavier, more uncomfortable leg, Oslund said.
“She was in the middle of a game and we heard this loud ‘pop’ from across the court, she had literally snapped her foot in half,” Oslund said. “She is a powerhouse, she is a good player, she just had a hard time keeping up with everyone else.”
Oslund recalled telling her husband that she thought Swapna could do well in basketball with the right prosthetic, but insurance would not cover a bladestyle foot and the cost was too much for the family to afford.
Abbott — who was on Boylston Street on Marathon Monday in 2013 — had her left leg amputated below the knee after being severely injured in the second blast. She was invited to speak at the Blake Middle School in Medfield last September and after she told her story, the kids committed to her that they would raise money to help a local child get a new leg.
“They raised money all year, they had car washes and bake sales, all kinds of different things,” Abbott said, adding that she knew Swapna would be a perfect recipient when she met the young girl.
“Tenacious is a good word to describe her,” Abbott said. “She is very, very active. She loves sports, a total tomboy. She is someone who would benefit from having that high-activity leg. She hasn’t let anything stop her from doing the things she loves, she just needed the right equipment.”
Abbott said prosthetics like the one Swapna has routinely retail for around $15,000. Through the Heather Abbott Foundation, the bombing survivor has helped three amputees don customized prosthetics and is in the process of helping three more young people from around the country.
Abbott and Swapna will visit the school this morning to thank the students with an event that will include a fun run for the kids and a short speaking program.
“We are beyond grateful,” Maren Oslund said. “This is a whole new world for my daughter to be able to access now.”