Disabled veteran's son wants to help others through a career in orthotics and prosthetics

Monday, December 17, 2007

Improving people’s lives is the goal of one young man who entered the orthotics and prosthetics degree program at Oklahoma State University-Okmulgee this semester.

Joseph Dixon said he wants to help people heal and help eliminate discomfort, such as his father experienced as a result of disabling conditions from injuries he received in the Vietnam War. His father, Valdon Dixon, who has been totally disabled for 17 years, experiences constant pain.

Billy James (left), who works for OSU-Okmulgee, shows Joseph (middle) and Valdon Dixon how to assemble a Trans Femoral Prosthesis.

“I grew up seeing my dad always hurting,” Joseph said. “So, I decided to find a way I could help others who have experienced an amputation or severe injury. Today, there are many military personnel coming home with injuries who could benefit from orthotics and prosthetics, so I would like to be able to help them and others.”

Keith Crownover, director of OSU-Okmulgee’s Orthotics and Prosthetics Program, said Joseph has chosen a career with many opportunities.

“Our graduates have numerous career opportunities across the nation and will make excellent salaries,” Crownover said. “People with disabilities who need orthotic and prosthetic services will benefit from students like Joseph who are choosing to attend OSU-Okmulgee’s orthotics and prosthetics program.”

Valdon said the family could see the instructors in action when they came to the OSU-Okmulgee campus for a tour.

“We saw a lady being fitted with a prosthesis at the clinic — we were able to see her walk for the first time and see how the instructors made sure the prosthesis fit perfectly and allowed her to walk correctly, which was pretty neat,” Valdon said.

The Dixon family learned about OSU-Okmulgee’s orthotics and prosthetics program from the Veterans Administration in Oklahoma City.

“The people at the VA said OSU-Okmulgee was one of the best technical schools for what he wanted to learn,” Valdon said. “After seeing the facilities here, we agreed, and Joseph enrolled immediately.”

Crownover adds the need for orthotics and prosthetics professionals is excellent. He said that according to the website for SPS, the largest O&P product distributor in the world, in 2007, there were 897 military service men and women who had amputations. There are 1.3 million amputees currently in the U.S., and 185,000 amputations are performed each year.

Now that Joseph is a student at OSU-Okmulgee, he feels he made the right college choice.

“The instructors really care about the students’ needs, and the technology in the orthotics and prosthetics labs is outstanding,” Joseph said.

Joseph’s career goals include working for the Veterans Administration after he earns his associate degree from OSU-Okmulgee. Valdon said his son is making him very proud because he wants to help disabled veterans lead a better life.