When he was only 8 years old, he suffered an accident to his leg which led to an amputation. This accident was undoubtedly a very difficult moment, but he did not allow this to take away his dreams of moving forward and achieving great things.
Mr. Arturo Cardenas, Alejandro's father, tells us that after his son's accident, they knew about the services provided at Shriners Hospitals for Children for Alex's condition.
“We arrived at Shriners Hospital for Children a year ago, we were admitted and then my son was transferred to the prosthetics department where they took his measures to make his first device," said Arturo.
It was thanks to the invitation of his friend that Alex discovered what in the future would become his passion, chair basketball.
What I enjoy most about basketball is being able to play like a child.
Not only has he excelled in this discipline, Alex has also practiced various sports such as amputee football, wheelchair dance and weightlifting. These disciplines have also given him great satisfaction, since he had the opportunity to represent Jalisco in a competition in Colima, where he won six medals for these three disciplines.
Having the opportunity to participate in three sports, Alex decided to devote all of his efforts to wheelchair basketball, where he has won seven medals, because as he tells us, "It is his strong suit.” Six years have passed since he decided to dedicate himself to this sport professionally, and now he is preparing for a Sub-23 competition in Cancun and also for an international Sub-21 tournament in Bogota.
Alex's biggest dream is to be able to represent Mexico in international competitions. “I need to be smart, collaborative and achieve to play in Spain, Italy, etc.”
“Don't give up, work hard. Everything happens for a reason, and when one door closes, another one opens. Always keep going.”
Just like Alejandro's story, Shriners Hospitals for Children cares for hundreds of kids who undergo treatment in our orthotics and prosthetics department, which cares for children with missing limbs, whether congenital, or as in Alex's case, as a result of an accident.
The care Shriners Hospitals for Children provides in these cases is comprehensive. The entire care process involves orthopedic doctors, psychologists, prosthetists, occupational and physical therapists, and social workers. The idea is that in the end patients have the necessary tools in a treatment that supports them not only physically but also emotionally.
The fact that our patients can share their success stories in the disciplines they enjoy the most is one of the greatest satisfactions for the entire team at Shriners Hospitals for Children.
