Oklahoma Cancer Survivor Uses Amputated Foot To Inspire Others

Kristi Loyall, at only 25 years old, understands that battling cancer is no easy feat. After five years of misdiagnoses, she found a lump in her right foot in 2016.

“We got the call on April 15, that Friday, that it was cancer,” said Kristi. Doctors discovered she had epitheliod sarcoma, a rare form of cancer. She said she only had two choices between keeping her foot or losing her life.

“Definitely take my foot, I’d rather be alive,” she said, “Radiation and chemo don’t usually do much for the type of cancer I had.”

The one request she had for her surgeon was if she could get her foot back after it was amputated. Sure enough, her wish was granted. “It was really weird. The first thing I did was move my toes,” she laughed.

She took it to a company called Skulls Unlimited to have the foot degreased, whitened and articulated. It was certainly a conversation piece, so Kristi decided to take to Instagram and take picture of adventures with her foot post-amputation. Her page is cleverly called “onefootwander”.

The page gained thousands of followers, most of who are strangers interested in Kristi’s story and perspective of how she fought cancer. She said her way of coping is making light out of a tough situation.

The Instagram page is filled with funny pictures and puns. While she uses her “funny bone” to be “humerus”, Kristi is also inspiring others who are fighting the fight against cancer. With comments from across the world, Kristi hopes her story can bring a smile to others.

Kristi has also started a GoFundMe page to help cover $10,000 worth of medical bills that wasn’t covered by her insurance.

Click here if you would like to donate to Kristi’s GoFundMe page.

Click here if you would like to follow Kristi’s Instagram page.