Sarah Doherty engaged in this self-examination when she experienced a dramatic loss at the age of thirteen. The amputation of her leg was a catalyst for internal soul-searching. What she discovered is a commonality between every individual—the human spirit is resilient.
Sarah had two pivotal events in her life that significantly changed her life:
The physical loss of her leg revealed a very vivacious and determined woman with a purpose. Sarah learned that to heal, she would have to discern between what could and could not be changed. In accepting her loss, she is also opening herself up to lessons that can be learned. Having a new perspective in life, Sarah saw her physical loss as enabling her to strategically and creatively find alternate ways to live an active life.
The Importance of "Stick-to-itiveness"
Sarah lives her life with the mentality of stick-to-itiveness. Step by step, she pushes herself to embrace her adventurous spirit. Using knowledge she gained as an occupational therapist, she designed the first snow/climbing forearm SideStix crutch, which enabled her to climb Mt. Rainer in 1984 and McKinley in 1985. In 1986, Sarah fell in love with a Canadian and moved to Canada. She married and raised three beautiful children.
Divorce as a Second Amputation
Unfortunately, later on in life, Sarah encountered another great loss that is equally emotionally and psychologically disabling—her divorce. Margaret Atwood writes: “divorce is another type of amputation”. This “amputation” left “phantom leg pains” long after the divorce. Sarah knew that in order to be a strong woman and mother, she needed to turn back to herself first. In combination with her formal training as an occupational therapist, she returned to creating SideStix crutches. Sarah found her voice in being the inventor of adaptive equipment; she is connecting with all individuals that face disability. She stamped a new philosophy on what it means to be disabled; through adaptation, one can live life to its fullest. This can be encapsulated in the SideStix slogan: "designed to go far".
For Sarah, SideStix is her bit of contribution to making the world a better place, and throughout the development of the SideStix crutch, she kept her fierce love of life and adventure in mind.
Living an Active Lifestyle
Sarah emphasizes that she is merely an ordinary person finding ways to live an active, purposeful life. She is a living testament of every human’s capacity to overcome change and shows what a determined and willful person can do in this world. Sarah believes in choices—everyone has the choice to live a healthy, actively engaged life (especially with the right equipment). She channels her zest for life and overcoming challenges into developing a better forearm SideStix crutch; it incorporates the idea of living athletically while taking proper care of the body. SideStix has a damper shock system for protecting joints and attachments for recreational pursuits. According to Sarah, this is what a good life entails: having choices, remaining active, and aging well. She is determined to live a full and good life, and so far, it is working with SideStix.
