Challenged Athletes Foundation

The 2024 Vinfast IRONMAN® World Championships race in Kailua-Kona was a 140.6-mile ultimate test of body, mind, and spirit. Michael Andreasen, CAF-supported athlete, became the first known athlete with Dwarfism to complete the IRONMAN® World Championship, finishing in an impressive 14:48:23. Athletes that competed and crossed the finish line included Willie Stewart, Jason Fowler, Jeff Mata, and Francisco Postlethwait along with supporters Jeffrey Essakow, Jeff Jacobs, Kayvon Agahnia, Richard Wallace, Alfonso Espejo, Michael Breen, Michael Fisch, and Roy Perkins for a day that tested their will and preparation. The IRONMAN Group | IRONMAN Foundation

Össur + CAF hosted 30 athletes with lower limb loss at a Running and Mobility Clinic at Rutgers University in New Jersey, led by 2x Paralympian Eric McElvenny. Össur + CAF Ambassador Femita Ayanbeku recently returned from the Paris Paralympics and shared her story including how she qualified just 6 short months after having her daughter. Join our next clinic with Össur, happening in San Diego during CAF Community Weekend fueled by Toyota North America! https://lnkd.in/gr9F9fvN

Team Toyota athletes Jarryd Wallace and Ezra Frech practiced together on the Toyota Sport Court at the last CAF Community Challenge fueled by Toyota North America! At this year's CAF Community Weekend, Toyota Sports Fest will once again give athletes the chance to try some of today's most popular sports - and receive mentorship from top-tier athletes, too. bit.ly/2024CAF

CAF's own Chief Programs Officer, Patrick Lawrence, will be joining two other leaders on an important panel with ThrivAbility Ecosystem!

Join us at the CAF Community Weekend fueled by Toyota for a whole weekend of events and activities just for YOU! Enjoy immersive experiences from Toyota North America, Nike, Össur and EōS Fitness, the San Diego Triathlon Challenge, and so much more thanks to presenting sponsors including 100%, Philadelphia Insurance Companies, Lusardi Construction Company, and XTERRA. bit.ly/2024CAF

CAF is grateful to have worked with the NBCUniversal Creative Impact Lab to produce a moving PSA featuring Derek Loccident. It’s now nominated as a finalist for the 9th annual Shorty Awards! There's also a chance to win the Audience Honor award, which is determined by public votes. We’d be incredibly grateful if you could spread the word and vote daily until October 30th at bit.ly/CAFshorty

At last week's 46th annual Empire State Building Run-Up, 45 fundraising participants helped raise over $130,000 for CAF. Featured athlete Carson Clough, who recently took home a Silver medal for Team USA in Paris, got to ring the Opening Bell at the NYSE on the day of the race and ran up the 1,576 stairs in 14minutes and 26 seconds! Interested in climbing the iconic Empire State Building with #TeamCAF next year? Head to https://lnkd.in/etVi8eJG

At the recent Össur + CAF Running and Mobility clinic in Columbus there was a special appearance by Össur + CAF Ambassador Grace Norman, who recently returned from the Paris Paralympics where she won her third gold medal for Team USA in Paratriathlon! A surprise grant for an Össur Cheetah Xceed and Cheetah Knee was given to Eva Simons, age 66 from Columbus, OH. Thanks to Mike Hansen from American Orthopedics for making this possible, and to So Everybody Can Move Ohio and the CAF Cycling Club of Ohio for their support of this event.

At the recent Össur + CAF Running and Mobility clinic in Columbus there was a special appearance by Össur + CAF Ambassador Grace Norman, who recently returned from the Paris Paralympics where she won her third gold medal for Team USA in Paratriathlon! A surprise grant for an Össur Cheetah Xceed and Cheetah Knee was given to Eva Simons, age 66 from Columbus, OH. Thanks to Mike Hansen from American Orthopedics for making this possible, and to So Everybody Can Move Ohio and the CAF Cycling Club of Ohio for their support of this event.

Community—it's the heartbeat of CAF, and the Women’s Cycling Retreat truly embodied this spirit! Nestled among rolling hills and stunning coastal routes, this was a true celebration of camaraderie, empowerment, and community. The Ohio group, two outstanding mechanics, and NorCal and San Diego riders of all levels—seasoned and newcomers alike—came together from the Ojai Olive Oil shop to the group coffee ride to downtown Ventura. The energy was electric as the group rode alongside incredible female athletes like Eva Simons, Michelle Pinard, Kelly Worrell, and Muffy Davis. The memories formed are beyond special, they are forever lasting.