Sports : Amputee inspires other VS Cheerleaders

Kay Mull waves to the crowd during the Fall Blow-Out. She has overcome several health issues.

VS Cheerleaders worked hard on fund-raising to earn money for new uniforms.

Varsity cheerleaders pose in the new uniforms after successful fund-raising efforts.

A young girl walked up to Kay Mull, looked at her prosthetic limb, and asked, “How did you change your leg?”

Kay, a freshman cheerleader at Vinton-Shellsburg High School, hasn’t let having her leg amputated just below the knee stop her from being active in life, or in school. She has previously competed in volleyball and track and now she performs a variety of cheers in front of hundreds of strangers each week.

She was three when a she lost her right leg in a lawn mowing accident at a relative’s home near Palo. As Kay grew, she would also regularly receive new, larger prostheses to accompany her growth.

But learning to walk, run and cheer with just one leg has been just one of the challenges that Kay has had to overcome. She was born with a congenital heart defect, and spent some time as a child being treated for that. Then last year, her left leg developed a tumor; doctors, however, were able to treat her without surgery.

“She’s been through a lot,” says Kay’s cousin and cheerleading coach, Tamara Mull.

“She’s very inspiring,” says cheerleading teammate Lauren Price.

Kay says she doesn't consider her prosthetic leg to be an "artificial" one, but rather, simply her other leg. She said her advice to youngsters facing challenges is to not worry about what other people may think.

Teammates praise Kay for her determination. They know that she is sometimes in pain (“a little,” she says), but never complains or lets it keep her from practicing or performing with the rest.

Kay’s favorite cheer is the “Victory” cheer; her favorite jump move is the toe-touch.

New uniforms for squads

In addition to cheering with her squad, Kay also has been part of the team all summer, working with fund-raising and other activities.

The cheerleaders were able to purchase brand new uniforms because of the successful fund-raising efforts they have made over the past few years.