Current and former Shriners Children’s patients showcased their incredible talent and determination on the world stage at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. The athletes, who participated in events ranging from para canoeing and wheelchair basketball to shot put and para swimming, embodied the organization’s mission of helping children overcome physical challenges. They are a huge source of inspiration for our current patients, as they understand better than anyone the challenges and adversity that must be overcome to reach great heights.
TATYANA MCFADDEN: WHEELCHAIR RACING
Treated at Shriners Children’s Philadelphia
Tatyana McFadden has 22 Paralympic medals, including eight gold, dating back to Athens in 2004. Paris marked her seventh Paralympic Games. She won silver in the women’s 100m T54 and won a bronze medal in the Mixed 4×100 Universal Relay. Tatyana was born with spina bifida and lived her first six years in Russia. When she came to the U.S., Tatyana had surgeries to align her legs at Shriners Children’s Philadelphia. “Shriners Children’s has a footprint that is worldwide, and I’m part of it. I believe we could run our own little country,” she said.
NOELLE MALKAMAKI: SHOT PUT
Treated at Shriners Children’s St. Louis
In her Paralympic Games debut, Noelle Malkamaki won her first gold medal, broke her own world record on two of her three throws, and became the first to throw over 14m in women’s shot put F46. Noelle’s athletic career spans multiple sports, including track and field and volleyball. She was born with amniotic band syndrome, a congenital birth defect that prevented her right hand from developing. Care at Shriners Children’s St. Louis allowed her to pursue her athletic dreams. “There was comfort knowing that I didn’t have to have any boundaries because Shriners Children’s could help figure something out with prosthetics,” she said.
HUNTER WOODHALL: PARA TRACK
Treated at Shriners Children’s Salt Lake City and Florida
Hunter Woodhall, a double-amputee sprinter, surged down the final stretch to overtake the defending champion and capture gold in the men’s 400-meter T62 event. He has a total of five medals: one gold, one silver and three bronze. Born with fibular hemimelia, Hunter underwent bilateral below-the-knee amputations at Shriners Children’s Salt Lake City at 11 months. The hospital’s team enabled Hunter to pursue his athletic dreams. “Anytime I asked for a new prosthetic for whatever sport I was playing, they built one for me,” he said. “They weren’t doing this for the Hunter Woodhall people know today. They were doing that for a kid who just wanted to try something new.” His wife, Tara Davis-Woodhall, is a 2024 Olympic gold medalist in the long jump, making them a dynamic duo in track and field.
ZION REDINGTON: WHEELCHAIR RUGBY
Treated at Shriners Children’s Lexington
This was Zion Redington’s first Paralympics, and at 18, he was the youngest player on the wheelchair rugby team in Paris, bringing home a silver medal. Zion was named to the roster at 17, making him the youngest player in history to be named to the U.S. wheelchair rugby Paralympic team. Born in China with ectrodactyly, a condition causing the absence of central digits on his hands and feet, Zion had his feet amputated at age 6 to improve mobility. But that never slowed him down. By age 9, he was already trying various adaptive sports, and by 15, he had made his national team debut in wheelchair rugby. “Shriners Children’s gave me the opportunity to see there’s a whole new world for Zion as an amputee,” said his mom, Heather.
BETHANY ZUMMO: SITTING VOLLEYBALL
Treated at Shriners Children’s Northern California
Bethany Zummo won gold in Paris, making her a three-time gold medalist with the sitting volleyball team. The team took gold for the third Paralympics in a row, making it a historic three-peat. Bethany was born with two congenital disorders and had her right foot amputated at Shriners Children’s Northern California when she was 2. She grew up regularly being fitted for her prosthetics at the hospital. “The best day of the week was being able to go to Shriners Children’s for an appointment. I’m so thankful for my doctors,” she said.
BRIAN BELL: WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL
Treated at Shriners Children’s Greenville
Former Shriners Children’s Greenville patient Brian Bell discovered his love for wheelchair basketball when he was 12, and the sport became his passion. Shriners Children’s helped lead him to his passion after he experienced a train accident two years prior, which resulted in him losing his right leg. “Shriners Children’s Greenville did everything and beyond to help me and keep me accountable, making sure I did all my rehab drills and exercises. Shriners Children’s is a great hospital and organization,” said Brian. He won gold in Paris, making him a three-time Paralympic gold medalist.
Champions in life
Shriners Children’s takes immense pride in having played a part in the journeys of all the accomplished patients and former patients who competed in Paris. Whether they won a medal or not, they are all champions in the eyes of the Shriners Children’s commun
