145 | Paralympian Noelle Lambert: Breathing Life into a New Identity

"  I woke up in the hospital and told everybody that this isn't gonna define me. I'm going to be playing lacrosse again. But there was always that what-if in the back of my head; I didn't really know if it would be possible. Having amputees sit across from me and hearing everything that they've been through … they were telling me that I'd be able to live an active lifestyle. I would be able to do whatever I wanted to with my life. And if I really wanted to, that I would be able to play lacrosse again."   Noelle Lambert was a collegiate lacrosse player at UMass Lowell when she had a moped accident that changed everything. Her first thoughts, as she began to wrap her head around what happened, were of whether she'd have to give up sports—which, up until this point, her life had revolved around. Her family and team rallied around her, and she had special visitors in the hospital: Survivors of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, who'd lost limbs and gone on to live active, full lives. Their example encouraged her, and though it took hard work, expensive equipment, and an emotional breakdown she talks about in this episode, Noelle would eventually return to playing lacrosse at the Division 1 level. After graduation, she transitioned to para track and field, swiftly breaking records and earning trips to the Paralympics in Tokyo and Paris. She's also dabbled in snowboarding, been a contestant on Survivor, and has started her own non-profit, the Born to Run Foundation, which provides active prosthetics to others. She's had plenty of self-doubt along the way, as she shares, but she's learned to turn it into fuel for each new adventure.   Resources/links: Noelle's website, Instagram, and TikTok  The Injured Athletes Club Facebook support group   A huge thank you to LEVER Movement, the exclusive sponsor of season 8 of The Injured Athletes Club podcast! The LEVER system is an innovative way to reduce your body weight, and the impact on your joints, while exercising on a treadmill. Use the code "TIAC20" to get 20% off your purchase.    You can subscribe to The Injured Athletes Club on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you like what you hear, please leave us a rating or a review in Apple podcasts. That helps other injured athletes find the show.   To access more resources for injured athletes: Buy Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries —now available as an audiobook! Buy Injured Athletes Club merchandise, including hoodies, stickers, patches, journals, mugs, hats, and gift cards Access webinar videos, mental rehab e-courses, and more great resources for injured athletes while supporting our work Join The Injured Athletes Club mailing list, for news and updates Join The Injured Athletes Club Facebook group, for support and camaraderie Like The Injured Athletes Club Podcast Facebook page, for the latest episodes Email us at [email protected] with questions, guest suggestions, or other feedback   DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational & informational use only and & does not constitute medical advice. Do not disregard, avoid or delay obtaining medical or health related advice from your health-care professional because of something you may have heard in an episode of this podcast. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified medical professional for proper evaluation & treatment. Guests who speak on this podcast express their own opinions, experiences, and conclusions, and The Injured Athletes Club podcast hosts nor any company providing financial support endorses or opposes any particular treatment option discussed in the episodes of this podcast and are not responsible for any actions or inactions of listeners based on the information presented. The use of any information provided is solely at your own risk.