My name is Justin McClelland. I'm 25 years old, and I've had over 116 operations on my right leg to correct a congenital deformity. When I was born, my right leg was shorter than my left and had I not done anything, my right leg would have been over 12 inches shorter at full growth. My parents made the very difficult decision early on to try and correct the deformity instead of amputating my leg. I've had five leg lengthening procedures, lengthening my leg approximately 11.5 inches total. However, with those procedures I developed numerous infections such as MRSA, C Diff, blood clots, osteomyelitis and other complications where amputation was a strong possibility. I've been around medicine my entire life and I knew at a very early age that I wanted to make a difference and to help people. I spent most of my high school career away from my home state of Kentucky so that I could receive the best medical treatment available from my doctors who were in Maryland and then in Florida. Growing up, my mom always told me that I could accomplish anything I put my mind to. Although I almost always had a build up of 1-4 inches on my right shoe, I played and excelled in many sports. It wasn't until my sophomore year of high school that everything took a turn following a procedure in 2012 where I had donor ligaments implanted into my knee and it became infected. During one of many operations trying to save my knee, my doctor left the operating room and went out to speak with my mom in the waiting room. He handed her papers and told her he needed her signature in order to amputate my leg. My mom refused to sign saying that there must be something we could do and if not, then it would be my decision to amputate or not. You see, my mom is a fighter and she does not quit! I was on PICC line antibiotics and I had to have my knee fused straight while fighting the infection. In 2014, I was able to have a total right knee replacement at the age of 18. I get my strength and my determination from my mom. She has been with me through EVERYTHING and she has never given up on me-even at times when I wanted to give up on myself. She has been my nurse, physical therapist, teacher, advocate and driver to and from every doctor appointment and operation from Kentucky to Baltimore and then Kentucky to Florida. When my parents told me they were getting a divorce, I remember being so hurt and so confused-my mom never quits or gives up on anything. When I said that to her, I had no idea how much I hurt her. My mom always put us first. There were times when she would drive 30 hours round trip just to be there for my sister when she went away to college, needed her hair done for a school dance or she just missed mom. My determination to want to help people drives me to continue pushing forward and working hard in life. What really matters is not what a person goes through in their life, but how they fight to get back up after each hardship and continue to move forward-my mom taught me that. I hope to use the knowledge I've gained, the experiences I've been through and the strength I've learned from my mom to better empathize with patients in medicine and to better myself and those around me.

My name is Justin McClelland and what I am about to tell you is the true story of how I took the hand I was dealt in life and how I've worked and fought hard every day to not only overcome obstacles but to surpass all expectations and odds in order to accomplish my goals in life through determination and my earnest convictions. I am 25 years old, and I have had over 116 operations on my right leg to correct a congenital deformity and other birth defects. At birth, my right leg was shorter than my left and had I not done anything, it would have been over 12 inches shorter than my left leg at full growth. My parents made the very difficult decision early on to try and correct the deformity instead of amputating my leg when I was born. I have had five leg lengthening procedures-lengthening my leg approximately 11.5 inches total. However, those inches did not come easily. With those procedures, I developed numerous infections such as MRSA, C Diff, blood clots, osteomyelitis and other complications where amputation was a strong possibility. I have been around medicine my entire life and I knew at a very early age that I wanted to make a difference and to help people. Growing up, my parents always told me that I could accomplish anything I put my mind to. Although I almost always had a "build up" of 1-4 inches on my right shoe, I played soccer, flag football, volleyball and I was a very good swimmer. In addition, I qualified for Duke TIP Program, and I received other academic recognitions. In fact, despite having to spend my last two years of high school in a hospital homebound program, I graduated high school with over a 4.0 GPA. It wasn't until my sophomore year of high school that everything took a turn following a procedure in 2012 where I had donor ligaments implanted into my knee and it became infected. During one of many operations trying to save my knee, my world-renowned doctor Dror Paley, left the operating room and went out to speak with my mom who was in the waiting room. He handed her papers and told her he needed her signature in order to amputate my leg. My mom refused to sign saying that there must be something we could do and if not, then it would be my decision to amputate or not. I was on PICC line antibiotics, and I had to have my knee fused straight for one year while fighting the infection. In 2014, I was able to have a total right knee replacement at the age of 18. As many low points as I have had, it must be made known that determination, perseverance and the motivation to want to help people drives me to continue pushing forward and working hard. Many people ask about my leg and the operations that I have undergone, questioning how I have gotten through it all. Truth be told, I have had many instances, days of weakness, succumbing to the pain and the depression. However, what really matters is not what a person goes through in their life, but how they fight to get back up after each hardship and continue to move forward. Yes, I do have chronic pain, but I have become a better person because of what I have been through. I hope to use the knowledge I have gained and the experiences I have been through to better empathize with patients and to better myself and those around me.