Lauren Farhat, Changemaker

Lauren Farhat is an adaptive athlete with proximal femoral focal deficiency (PFFD), a congenital condition in which the upper part of the femur is malformed, resulting in a shortened leg. 

After undergoing multiple surgeries in childhood, Farhat began wearing a prosthetic leg as a teenager. Still, everyday activities remained challenging. Walking for long periods of time, even with the aid of her prosthetic and cane, was painful. 

Despite her disability, Farhat longed to be a competitive athlete. So after hearing of the opportunities for adaptive competition in CrossFit, she joined CrossFit Arvada in Colorado.

“She just opened these doors with open arms to me, and we’ve never looked back since,” she said of affiliate owner Kerry Sproles, who worked with Farhat to modify movements and find solutions that work for her. 

Today, Farhat can lift heavy weights, do bar muscle-ups, handstand push-ups, and handstand walks. But even more importantly, her mobility and stamina in day-to-day life has improved. 

“I really credit CrossFit to that,” she says. 

Farhat’s goal is to be an advocate for the progression of the adaptive competition in CrossFit as well as a role model for other adaptive athletes. 

“I just want to be an advocate for our disabled community, our adaptive-athlete community, and do what I can to show people that … this is something they absolutely, positively can do and should do,” she says.