Skip to main content
search

Robert Ram is a teen with a positive outlook on life that is so powerful, it’s impossible not to be inspired by his story. Besides excelling in sports, Ram is a mentor for the Challenged Athletes Foundation who speaks to kids of all ages about not giving up on athletics due to amputation. An amputee himself, Ram’s left leg was removed while battling a rare form of bone cancer, Ewing’s Sarcoma. Diagnosed at age 12, Ram fought for nine long months through chemotherapy and dealing with the loss of his leg. Now a cancer free 17-year-old, Ram is giving back by speaking to children going through similar challenges and encouraging them to keep pursuing their goals no matter what.

football in grass

The Battle With Cancer

At 12 years old, Ram was an active kid who loved baseball, football, basketball, and just about any other physical activity. He began noticing sharp pains in his left leg, but didn’t think much of them initially. However, as the pain got worse, testing revealed that he had Ewing’s Sarcoma in his leg. While doctors initially tried to save his leg, complications prompted Ram to opt for an amputation.

After being fitted for his first prosthetic leg, Ram found that he needed to re-learn how to walk, and perform daily activities. While the challenge ahead seemed difficult, he recalls that seeing photos of other amputees encouraged him, and made him believe that he could do anything that he set his mind to. He then decided to set a goal for himself; to be able to walk himself to school on his first day of 8th grade. Determined to meet this goal, Ram practiced for weeks and was able to walk unassisted to his first day of school.

Returning to Sports

After successfully walking to school, Ram’s next goal was returning to the physical activities he loved so much including tennis, surfing, running, and wrestling. Despite not using water therapy during his recovery, he says he fell in love with water polo after a friend introduced him to the sport during his freshman year of high school. Although he says he was “bad” at water sports when he began, he made the varsity water polo team by the time he was a senior. He learned of Paralympic swimming options and joined a swim team whose coach had experience with Paralympic athletes.

swimming pool

The teen credits swimming for teaching him not to hide his disability, but rather to embrace it. Ram says worrying about the “little things” isn’t something he does anymore, and that cancer helped him become kinder, more helpful to others and happier. He enjoys celebrating diversity and welcomes questions about his prosthetic.

How He’s Giving Back

It’s important to Ram to give back to his community, and he frequently speaks to local schools about cancer, prosthetic limbs and life as a disabled athlete. As a mentor for the Challenged Athletes Foundation, Ram is able to speak with children affected by cancer as well as those dealing with disabilities like his.

By sharing his story with others, Ram hopes to provide emotional support and be an example what can be accomplished despite obstacles. The teen plans to study computer science at the University of California, Irvine after completing two years of community college.

To learn more about cancer treatment in Nevada, or to read inspiring stories and testimonials of patients at Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, visit the website here.

Close Menu