A North Texas teen wants to get back to cheerleading after losing part of her leg.
Brooke Walker, a junior at Rockwall-Heath High School, is in the process of getting a prosthetic leg after having an emergency leg amputation.
“I went to the hospital February 27th with a sore foot. On the 21st of March, after three intense surgeries, my lower left leg was amputated due to an arterial blood clot. This is something that came fully out of the blue and almost never happens to anyone my age,” Walker shared on Instagram on April 13.
An arterial blood clot or arterial thrombosis is a life-threatening condition that usually affects those who have hardened or narrowed arteries, per the National Health Service.
This is typically the result of getting older or certain lifestyle risk factors, such as excessive drinking, being overweight, not exercising, or not eating well.
It is thus quite unexpected for a young cheerleader to suddenly develop arterial thrombosis.
There is currently a GoFundMe set up for Walker to help her get the specialized prosthetic leg necessary for her to cheer again.
The fundraising page was just put up on April 25, but it has already raised almost $12,000, meaning that Walker is almost halfway to the goal of $25,000.
Brooke’s mother, Kerri Walker, continues to be impressed with how well Brooke has handled the situation.
“Your true character comes out when you go through something like this. And she has amazed everybody that’s come in contact with her,” Kerri told NBC 5.
Brooke explained on her Instagram page that her faith has helped carry her through this difficult time.
“In the midst of all this heartache, I found myself thrown deeper and deeper into faith … I will use this situation and every opportunity I have been given to share how wonderful God really is,” she wrote.
Brooke will start testing out prosthetics in the next few weeks. Getting back to cheerleading can’t come soon enough for the teen.
“I love it. I can’t wait to do it again. I can’t wait to be out in front of a crowd. I love performing,” Brooke said, per NBC 5.
