Georgia girl with prosthetic limb pens book to show she’s ‘just like you’
Twelve-year-old Cree James is naturally athletic. She swims, skates, dances, cheers, rides a bike, plays flag football, and has even participated in gymnastics. While her active lifestyle might seem typical for a girl her age, what sets Cree apart is her resilience: she is missing her right leg below the knee, her left big toe, and she has webbed fingers on her left hand.
The Covington preteen uses an artificial limb or prosthesis for mobility. The limb was created by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Orthotics and Prosthetics Department, which celebrated its 40th anniversary last month.
According to her mom, Latara Robbins, Cree received her very first prosthesis when she was just 8 months old. She was born with amniotic band syndrome, a rare congenital disorder in which bands of tissue in her mother’s uterus wrapped around her as a developing fetus and restricted blood flow, resulting in missing or underdeveloped limbs.
Children’s prosthetics department creates Cree’s custom prosthesis to replace the section of her leg missing from the middle of her calf. She helps design the device, which has to be updated as she grows. For the most recent update, she chose a skin-toned prosthesis to match her other leg. Previous prosthesis included cartoon characters or her favorite rapper at the time, Kentrell Gaulden — better known as NBA YoungBoy.
In April, Cree proudly released her self-published book “Just Like You” - a 26-page illustrated paperback inspired by her own life. Written especially for children with limb differences and other disabilities, the book shares a powerful message from Cree herself: “They can have a prosthesis and can do anything,” she said.
“While life has brought its share of challenges, each one has made me stronger,” she states on the book’s back cover. “I’ve learned that with determination and faith, anything is possible. I want every boy and girl to know this: your differences do not define your limits. You have the strength, courage, and power to dream big and make those dreams come true.”
The book’s cover shows a young girl with a sports prosthesis, often used by athletes, playing flag football. She said the section on flag football in the book is her favorite because, “I just like running.”
Robbins said her daughter wrote her book after attending Children’s Camp No Limb-itations for children with missing limbs in Winder last summer and it took her about six months to complete.
“She told me she did rock climbing at camp and after she conquered that, it made her excited,” Robbins said. Her inspiration also came from another child with a prosthetic leg at a former school.
“I was overjoyed she wanted to inspire other children like her.”
As a parent, Robbins said she sometimes gets emotional observing Cree refusing to give up at a new task.
“It breaks my heart. I cry to myself at times. I never let her see it. It’s a struggle to watch her be different,” she shared. Still, she has encourages her daughter to learn new skills. With support from her cousins and older siblings, Cree is constantly learning and growing.
“Everything the other kids did, I made her do as well,” Robbins said. “There was never a ‘no, you can’t’.
“I always give her the opportunity to do what she wants to do. I never limited her.”
When children or adults stare, Robbins encourages Cree to explain to them what happened. “She tells them, ‘I’m no different than you. I was born this way.’”
As a teacher, Robbins kept a close eye on her daughter during Cree’s early school years - but that changed last year.
“Once she went to middle school, I decided to let her go, to have her own voice. I cannot protect and shadow her forever.” Meanwhile, Cree never saw herself as having a disability or being different, Robbins said. For instance, Cree didn’t understand why her mother once parked in a handicapped space.
Prosthetist Richard Welling, who creates Cree’s prosthesis, said that unlike patients who may lose a limb during their life, such as through an accident, Cree has experienced limb deficiencies her entire life. She’s never known what it’s like to have limbs in those areas, he said.
Welling said he first learned about Cree’s book several months ago when she gave him a copy while attending Camp No Limb-itations. “She brightened up,” talking about the book, he recalled. “It helped her find her voice and tell people about herself and feel confident about it.”
The book follows Cree’s journey as a child with a limb difference, highlighting her desire for acceptance and her determination to do everything her peers can, Welling explained.
As children with a congenital disorder go through school they increasingly want to belong, to be treated like everyone else, he said. The transition between elementary school, where everyone was familiar with her disability, to middle school can be particularly difficult.
“You have all new kids asking questions: where is your leg?”
Colleen Coulter, a physical therapist who started the orthotics and prosthetics department 40 years ago, says the heart of Cree’s message is clear: missing a limb doesn’t mean missing out.
“Just because you are missing a body part doesn’t mean you have to stop. You can go to the gym or play flag football like your peers,” Coulter said.
The book features vibrant photos of Cree dancing, running alongside her dog, and playing on the playground - showcasing her active lifestyle. Physical therapists, Coulter explained, encourage patients to stay engaged in school and community activities as it can help regain functional use of their limbs with their prosthetics.
Brian Giavedoni, the prosthetist who manages the orthotics and prosthetics department, said events like the Paralympics and the rise of social media have helped shift how the public views athletes with disabilities or artificial limbs, removing some of the stigma. Still, younger children remain inquisitive, he said.
“You give them an answer and they move on.” The book not only benefits Cree and her peers, but can also help parents explain to their children about disabilities, Giavedoni said.
Cree said her book carries a message not just for kids with disabilities, but for everyone:
“You can do anything. Don’t give up and always have faith.” In other words, she explains, “Believe in yourself.”
