04/15/2026
Ana is a thrill seeker, a former Ms. Wheelchair Texas, and someone who has always embraced life head-on. She earned her Master of Social Work, returned to Shriners Children's Texas as a transition coordinator supporting teens with disabilities, and now serves as the associate director for care services at the ALS Association in Texas. Throughout every chapter of her life, Ana has stayed connected to the organization that helped shape who she is today.
“Shriners Children’s Texas was a godsend,” Ana said. “They do amazing work. Part of my success was because of them, and I’m very thankful for their care.”
Ana was born with phocomelia, a rare congenital condition that resulted in the absence of her arms and legs. At Shriners Children’s Texas, Ana’s care team helped empower her parents with the tools to support her.
“The staff took their time to teach my family how to encourage me,” Ana said. “How to be a parent to a child who is different. They always told me, try. At least try it once. Then you don’t have the what-ifs in life.”
That mindset led Ana to try a little bit of everything. Over the years, she’s participated in activities like adaptive water skiing, scuba diving, and even bungee jumping at Camp For All, where staff worked with her to create a specialized harness so she could leap safely.
Today, Ana is living life without what-ifs. Read more about her journey: https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/news-and-media/patient-stories/2026/04/ana-phocomelia-care
