12/04/2025
Chris Cogdill: Living Life with Limb Loss
Chris Cogdill works as a technician at Great Steps Orthotics & Prosthetics, a role he’s passionate about due to his personal experience as an above-knee amputee. Diagnosed with Proximal Femoral Focal Deficiency (PFFD) at birth, Chris was born without a hip joint and with a shortened leg stump directly attached to his pelvis.
From the very beginning, Chris refused to let his limb difference hold him back. Growing up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and living there for 16 years, he developed an adventurous spirit from a young age. He spent his childhood on the family farm, showing dogs and chickens through 4H, and enjoyed building model rockets with his dad. What set Chris apart was the way his parents raised him. They treated him the same as their other children, never making his differences a barrier. This upbringing fostered what Chris refers to as an “ignorant confidence” – the ability to dive into any new adventure without hesitation, figuring it out his way. His parents’ approach helped him focus on his abilities rather than his limitations.
Chris received his first prosthesis at just 18 months old, and from then on, nothing could stop him. He never thought about how his leg was different; he simply focused on what he could do next. He loved playing sports like t-ball and baseball, and did it all without hesitation. His prosthetist at Shriners always found his prosthesis in rough shape during their biannual visits, a testament to how much he pushed himself, and it motivated him to create an even more durable prosthesis to match his active lifestyle.
One of the toughest periods in Chris’ life came during his teenage years when his family moved to Georgia. For the first time, he encountered harsh treatment from others and became aware that he was perceived as “different”. A particularly painful experience occurred when a high school baseball coach refused to let him join the team because of his limb difference and the belief that he wouldn’t be able to keep up or help the team win. Though this was discouraging, especially coming from an adult, Chris didn’t dwell on it long. Instead, he found support in new activities and communities. Joining Boy Scouts was where he found his niche. He found valuable mentorship, built lasting friendships, and developed new skills, including becoming a lifeguard and being able to showcase his leadership skills through his role as a camp counselor. It was also here where he discovered his love for disc golf – a life-long sport he continues to enjoy to this day.
In college, one of his proudest achievements was being accepted onto the Ultimate Frisbee Club Team at Georgia Southern, where he played for two years. Although he occasionally encountered insensitive comments, the support from his teammates and coaches helped him persevere.
Chris is proud of what he has accomplished through adversity and the physical challenges he faces, but he continues to push himself forward. Recognizing the importance of maintaining his health, Chris sets ambitious goals to ensure he remains capable of doing all that he aspires to. One of his current goals is to swim 50 meters in under 22 seconds, the same time Olympic athletes aim for. He likens his approach to life to his love for the game of poker – figuring out the game with strategy and discipline, applying the same mindset to every challenge he encounters. Swimming was one sport where he felt like an equal among his peers, and he is excited to continue growing in this area.
Chris is passionate about raising awareness for limb loss and showing others that people with limb differences are capable of achieving anything they set their minds to. He welcomes open and inquisitive conversations about his limb difference and values the honest, straightforward questions he often receives. He encourages others with limb loss to keep pushing their limits and for those without limb loss to never underestimate an amputee’s capabilities!
