When Kyle Stepp was a freshman at Del Norte High School, he was diagnosed with stage four osteosarcoma, an aggressive form of bone cancer. For the next three years, he endured chemotherapy, surgeries and hospital stays. He found the strength to keep fighting through the nine other kids who were undergoing treatment alongside him. “Those nine kids are no longer with us, and they don’t get the opportunity to reach these summits or chase their dreams and for me,” he said. “I’m lucky enough to use my life for good and help others. It’s an immense privilege.”
Eventually, his leg had to be amputated – “I don’t think you’re ever really prepared to live with a disability,” he said. “But when I became an amputee, I was thrown into the reality of our broken health care system and how it is not designed for people with disabilities.” Kyle has been working to improve access for people with disabilities with the Range of Motion Project, or ROMP. The nonprofit’s mission is to ensure people living in underserved communities around the world have access to high-quality prosthetic care that will improve their mobility and independence. Since its founding in 2005, ROMP has provided over 5,000 prosthetics to those in need. One of ROMP’s fundraisers is its annual hike, “Climbing for ROMP.” This year’s hike marks the 10th anniversary of the Climbing for ROMP initiative, and the organization has the lofty goal of raising $500,000. For his part, Kyle will climb the 18,996 ft Cayambe Mountain in Ecuador on October 3, 2024. Consider Supporting his climb!
Read the article by Gino Gutierrez, Stepp-ing up: Amputee-athlete finds another obstacle to conquer in his story of resilience, in the Albuquerque Journal.