July 25th, 2018
Meet Claudia Breidbach, Cybathlon pilot
I am Claudia Breidbach am 47 years and live in Koblenz, Germany. I was born without my left arm but this has never stopped me in perusing my dreams. Since 2011 I am using an multiarticulate-myoelectric prosthesis who allows me to live me life with two hands.
I am a sports enthusiast (skydiving, snowboarding, gym, cycling), most of the time happy and positive, content and ambitious person that isn’t afraid of challenges. I love to inspire and motivate other people, with or without a disability, to do better. Since 2009 I am a certified skydiver.
I needed to fight to be a skydiver with my prosthesis. When I asked to get a chance, they told me:” Claudia, you need two hands to be a skydiver!”. My answer was: “You need two hands, not me. Please give me a chance to learn it!” It needed a lot of energy to get this chance, but I got it. I created a skydiving prosthesis jumped in the wind-tunnel in Bottrop, Germany, to get a feeling to use it and joined my AFF course in May 2009. I learned to pack my parachute with one hand as well. I have had 775 jumps with a lot of fun.
Since 2013 I am a team member of my 4-Way Skydiving Team KARMA. We were able to join skydive competitions and took part German Skydiving Championships. We show what is possible with seven hands. I am proud of my team colleagues! In 2016 we, Team KARMA, joined the HandyFly Euro Challenge in France to show the way we fly our points with 7 hands and I demonstrated, that it is possible to use a prosthesis for skydiving, because in France it is not allowed with a handicap. I will help them to change it.
In 2016 I took part to the Cybathlon in Swiss in the “Powered Arm Prosthesis race” as the only woman. The target is to showcase people what it means to master life with prosthesis and to gain new and valuable experience. I also want to show what is possible today with technology. I reached the 4thplace.
In 2017 I created the cybAIRday by Indoor Skydiving Bottrop to give 14 people with handicap the chance to “Fly with me!”. This year at cybAIRday 2018 we have had 36 participants with an age between 4 and 70. Great moments and positive energy all around.
I have a variety of things that motivate me in my daily life activities now with two hands. In my job as Training Manager for bionic upper limb prosthesis I want to show what is possible nowadays thanks to the amazing technology and want to motivate as many people as possible to thrive for more. I set my goal to teach how useful the prosthesis can be and show to use it for every task with the correct posture and grips. I am proud of me and love my life in the way it is!
I am happy to life my independent life in the way I am, in the way it is!