Grow, Adapt, and Overcome – Sara Vogler

For Sara Vogler, adversity isn’t necessarily a bad thing – she sees it as an opportunity to grow, adapt, and overcome. When she was diagnosed with TARSA syndrome, a rare genetic disorder, she quickly became well-versed in the art of taking on adversity headfirst and, soon after, how to defeat it.
Sara, now a Santa Clarita resident, was born in Krakow, Poland. She grew up with TARSA syndrome, which is a condition that causes a person to be born without a radius bone in either forearm.
When she came to the U.S. with her family, she underwent a total of 17 orthopedic surgeries right here in Los Angeles to help with her symptoms and diagnosis. However, though she was being treated medically, she still had to overcome other obstacles, such as societal stigmas and “othering”.
In elementary school, she was picked last for sports teams, and spent much of her second grade year in the hospital in preparation for and following a lengthy surgery for her condition.
However, as she’s grown up, she’s discovered her strengths even in the face of her diagnosis. She’s learned to overcome any challenges in her way, and one of the ways she’s done this has been through the world of CrossFit.
“It was a life-changing experience. The moment I walked into the space, I was welcomed,” says Sara of her first experience with CrossFit in a gym in Denver, Colorado. The gym, Colfax Strength and Conditioning, is owned by Sara’s sister Esther, who first introduced her to CrossFit.
“I believe CrossFit has shown me that I have resilience and confidence.. it’s given me the motivation and encouragement to know that anything is possible.”
Sara recently competed in the Women’s Upper Extremity division of the worldwide CrossFit Open, and has plans to continue on with her involvement with CrossFit and various different competitions.
Along the way, she cites her family as her most crucial support system, and it’s because of them that she feels she has accomplished so much and overcome such adversity.
You can find Sara on Instagram at @voguepoet, and check out her art website at https://djvogue.wixsite.com/artislife.

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