50-year-old amputee finds new life and Paralympic dream after osseointegration surgery in Abu Dhabi

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Abu Dhabi, UAE — At age 50, former competitive athlete entity[“people”,”Massimo Castellani”,0] has turned a devastating personal setback into a new beginning — and possibly a shot at the the entity[“sports_event”,”Paralympic Games”,0].citeturn0search0

🔍 From athlete to amputation and despair

  • Massimo used to play American football across Europe for around a decade — training hard, travelling and competing.citeturn0search0
  • In late 2023, during a trip to Germany’s Black Forest, he suffered a tick bite. The bite led to a rare infection that gradually penetrated into his bone and caused pneumonia.citeturn0search0
  • Nine months later, attempts with antibiotics failed. Because the infection had reached the bone, doctors ultimately performed an above-knee amputation.citeturn0search0
  • After losing his leg, he sank into depression, giving away most of his belongings and withdrawing from social life.citeturn0search0

🦾 A second chance via cutting-edge surgery

  • Massimo learned about entity[“initiative”,”10 Journeys Initiative”,0], a humanitarian programme in Abu Dhabi set up by entity[“people”,”Dr Shamsheer Vayalil”,0] (Founder & Chairman of entity[“organization”,”Burjeel Holdings”,0]). The initiative offers free advanced osseointegration surgeries for amputees who lost limbs due to trauma, illness or conflict.citeturn0search0turn0search2turn0search5
  • The surgery was carried out at the entity[“local_business”,”Al Muderis Osseointegration Clinic”,0,{“location”:[“Abu Dhabi, UAE”,”Burjeel Medical City”]}] inside entity[“local_business”,”Burjeel Medical City”,0,{“location”:[“Abu Dhabi, UAE”,””]}], under world-renowned orthopaedic surgeon entity[“people”,”Prof. Dr Munjed Al Muderis”,0].citeturn0search0turn0search5
  • Osseointegration involves placing a titanium implant directly into the bone, allowing a prosthetic limb to connect more naturally, improving comfort and stability compared to traditional socket prosthetics.citeturn0search0turn0search2turn0search5
  • Massimo says that after the surgery he can walk without pain, and describes it as “a piece of myself” recovered.citeturn0search0

🎯 Rebuilding life & chasing Paralympic dreams

  • Not content to resign himself to limitations, Massimo has returned to competitive pursuits: taking up archery, air rifle, fencing, and sitting volleyball — all adapted sports for amputees.citeturn0search0
  • He now aspires to represent Italy at the Paralympics, particularly in air rifle and sitting volleyball events.citeturn0search0
  • For him, this journey is symbolic: “If I make it to the Paralympics, it will not just be for me … it will be for everyone who thinks their story is over … because it is never over.”citeturn0search0

💡 Wider context & significance

  • The 10 Journeys Initiative has earmarked about AED 4 million to help selected amputees with advanced prosthetic surgeries, including those otherwise unable to afford such treatment.citeturn0search2turn0search5
  • Early beneficiaries include people from different countries (e.g. Palestinian amputee, US amputee, Indian amputee) — the programme is global in reach.citeturn0search1turn0search2turn0search5
  • This reflects the UAE’s growing role as a hub for advanced medical care and humanitarian healthcare initiatives.citeturn0search5turn0search2

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