Birth Defect Survivor Sue Kent Operates Sports Massage Clinic With Her Feet
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Despite being born without fully-developed arms, Sue Kent has used her feet to find success as a sports masseuse, reports the Daily Mail.
Kent, a 48-year-old mother of two from Wales, was born with eight-inch-long arms after her mother took the sedative drug thalidomide during her pregnancy. The medication was considered to be a "wonder drug" at the time, but it has since been linked to more than 10,000 cases of birth defects around the world.
Although she does not have the use of her hands, Kent leads a full life. She enjoys swimming, ballet and horseback riding, and she uses her feet for normal household tasks like cooking and cleaning. Her main ambition, however, has been to become a licensed sports massage therapist.
"It was quite a challenge to work with the professional teaching team to develop new procedures to achieve the same results as those using their hands," Kent told the source.
Three years ago, she received her license. Now, her clients lie on their stomachs on the floor while Kent sits on a bench above them and massages them with her feet.
"I have never tried to hide the fact that I have no proper arms. I always make sure the client is aware of it before they book an appointment," she said. "While some people do not like feet there are many people for whom it is not an issue."
Kent currently operates her own clinic and hopes to help the British team at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of every 33 babies born in the United States has some kind of birth defect.
People with birth defects and their families can donate money to Birth Defect Research for Children, which funds research for the prevention of these defects.
Kent, a 48-year-old mother of two from Wales, was born with eight-inch-long arms after her mother took the sedative drug thalidomide during her pregnancy. The medication was considered to be a "wonder drug" at the time, but it has since been linked to more than 10,000 cases of birth defects around the world.
Although she does not have the use of her hands, Kent leads a full life. She enjoys swimming, ballet and horseback riding, and she uses her feet for normal household tasks like cooking and cleaning. Her main ambition, however, has been to become a licensed sports massage therapist.
"It was quite a challenge to work with the professional teaching team to develop new procedures to achieve the same results as those using their hands," Kent told the source.
Three years ago, she received her license. Now, her clients lie on their stomachs on the floor while Kent sits on a bench above them and massages them with her feet.
"I have never tried to hide the fact that I have no proper arms. I always make sure the client is aware of it before they book an appointment," she said. "While some people do not like feet there are many people for whom it is not an issue."
Kent currently operates her own clinic and hopes to help the British team at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of every 33 babies born in the United States has some kind of birth defect.
People with birth defects and their families can donate money to Birth Defect Research for Children, which funds research for the prevention of these defects.
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