12-Year-Old Finishes Basketball Season Strong With Prosthetic Arm

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - It was the last game of the season for the Westbrook-Walnut Grove seventh graders.

A win on Tuesday would give the girls just their third win of the season, but in so many ways, the year has been a success.

Especially for 12-year-old Kate Jorgenson.

A year-and-a-half after losing her left arm in a farm accident, Kate has proved she can do everything she used to.

Volleyball, piano and -- her favorite -- basketball.

"Of course, when she takes a shot and makes it, both teams cheer," Kate's dad, Jim, said.

She's doing it all with one arm, but she's not doing it alone.

"They just support me and encourage me to do more things and to keep on going," Kate said.

Kate's talking about family, friends, teachers -- really, the entire community.

"If there is something out there, she wants to sign up for it, and she finds a way to get it done," Kate's mom, Nikki, said.

And for the past couple months, she's been getting some help.

In late November, after numerous surgeries, Kate received a prosthetic arm. It runs on electrodes.

"When I fire a muscle in my arm, it reads it and it will open or close or move up and down," Kate said.

"We went to Target, and she had no problem grabbing things off the shelf and dropping them in the cart," said Nikki. "She hadn't lost that ability for shopping at all."

Kate also uses her new arm to help out in the kitchen or to put away clothes. But it's only temporary.

"Our goal is to get a permanent one made of better products, so the longevity would be there," said Jim.

And that's where the problem begins. The prosthetic Kate needs costs about $215,000.

Yet the Jorgensons' insurance company, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, has denied their claim several times.

"We met the criteria, but they choose to deny us," Jim said.

Blue Cross released a statement saying, "We are in the process of reaching out to the family in order to continue discussions about their coverage."

And while they said they couldn't comment on specific cases, they added, "We feel our communications could have been more clear in explaining all available options."

The statement also said that if more clinical information is provided, Kate's case can be re-evaluated.

In the meantime, Kate will just keep doing what she's doing.

She's supporting her team like they've supported her.

Through the highs and lows.

Nothing in Kate's life is a slam dunk, but on this night she ends up as one of the lead scorers and helps her team close out the season with win No. 3 three.

"I worry a lot about what the future holds, but she just dives right in," Nikki said. "We are so proud of her, and everyone expects her to keep doing whatever she wants to do."

The Jorgensons said their goal is to initiate changes statewide, so that people who need prosthetics can get the best option available.

They say many insurance companies follow the same procedures as Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Jim said Kate was the youngest person in the world to have Target Muscle Reinnervation Surgery.