Lucy's Kenevo Story.

At just 15 years old, Lucy Strain is a vibrant, sporty, and fashion-loving teenager from Cheshire. Currently in Year 10, she’s balancing school life with her passions, from makeup and music to football. But behind her bright smile and unstoppable energy is a story of resilience, strength, and a refusal to be limited by her disability.

Lucy was born with two rare congenital conditions affecting her entire right leg: Proximal Femoral Focal Deficiency (PFFD) and Fibular Hemimelia (FH). PFFD results in a shortened femur positioned close to the body, leading to a malformed and unstable hip joint. Her knee is located unusually high, close to her hip. FH is characterised by the absence of the fibula bone.

At just 15 months old, Lucy underwent a Symes amputation which involved removing her foot through the ankle joint while preserving the heel pad to improve the fit and function of a future prosthetic limb. Today, Lucy powers her prosthetic using her “little” leg, because of the instability in her hip joint, this requires remarkable strength, balance, and adaptability.

Her mum, Sue, reflects “She has superseded all our expectations. We’ve never wrapped her in cotton wool, she’s always been treated the same as her siblings.”

At just five years old, Lucy attended a disability awareness day where she discovered Kuk Sool Won, a traditional Korean martial art. Inspired by her brother, Lucy decided to give it a go. In the nine years she took part, she earned her black belt, competed across the UK and Europe, and even performed in Barcelona at just six years old. Despite competing against able-bodied participants, Lucy medalled at every tournament, using her running blade with a free knee.

Over the years, Lucy has tried many different prostheses, but since Year 3, she’s consistently preferred using her running blade with a free knee. She loved the spring it gave her and the freedom to walk or run more naturally. Because Lucy uses her shin bone to control the prosthesis, weight plays a crucial role and the heavier mechanical knees she used in the past often felt uncomfortable and restrictive.

At 13, Lucy had the chance to trial a Kenevo microprocessor knee (MPK) through her NHS centre. The Kenevo is the lightest MPK on the market. Transitioning wasn’t easy at first. “It was really hard to master,” says Lucy, “but once I got used to it, I never wanted to take it off. It’s just so much more comfortable.” Unlike her previous mechanical knees, which often left her covered in bruises from falls, the Kenevo’s Stumble Recovery Function has prevented Lucy from falling over. She can also put more weight through her right side which gives her better balance and has improved her gait considerably, which for a teenage girl is hugely important to her. “It’s the best gait she’s ever had and her strength has improved because of it” reflected her proud mum, Sue.

Lucy has learned to trust her microprocessor knee, which has made a huge difference in how effectively she uses it. “It’s 100 times better!” she says enthusiastically. “My school is at the bottom of a hill, so I’m going up and down a slope every day and the Kenevo makes it so much easier and more comfortable.”

Lucy’s energy and willingness to try new things recently led her to amputee football. In summer 2024, a chance encounter between her dad and an old friend led to Lucy being invited to check out a local training session with an amputee football team. Despite her initial hesitation, Lucy quickly felt at home. “Within minutes, she took her prosthesis off, something she normally wouldn’t do in public and jumped right in,” recalls her mum.

Lucy’s talent didn’t go unnoticed. She started at the junior camp but was soon invited to train with the England Women’s Amputee Football Team and now dreams of representing her country competitively. She may even have the chance to compete in Poland later this year.

Off the pitch, Lucy has a passion for music. She loves singing and is attending her first live concerts this summer, including Tate McRae and the Radio 1 Big Weekend. She's especially excited about planning her outfits, embracing her style, and proudly showing off her prosthetic leg. “I think it looks cool and now that I’m not covered in bruises, I wear whatever I want.” She’s even perfected her fake tanning, “it doesn’t take long as I’ve only got to tan one leg!” Lucy laughs.

Looking ahead, Lucy dreams of a career in media and continuing to grow as a footballer. With her talent, confidence, and unstoppable drive, there’s no doubt she’ll keep breaking boundaries and inspiring everyone around her.