Author who lost a limb wants people to feel comfortable around amputees: 'Ask the questions'

Dr. Jokima Hiller Photo credit image provided to WBBM Newsradio

By Keith Johnson

(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — This week’s Difference Maker profiles an educator and advocate for people who have lost limbs.

Dr. Jokima Hiller, a visiting assistant professor of management at Indiana University Northwest, has built a career in the hospitality industry, starting at the age of 15.

But eight years ago, her life took a dramatic turn when she became an above-the-knee amputee. She said she was able to “power through the experience.”

A co-worker inspired her to share her experience, Hiller said, but she needed to find the proper vehicle.

Hiller, who had named her prosthesis “Sabrina,” decided to tell her story through a coloring book. “Sabrina and Her New Shoe,” illustrated by Sheeba Naz, introduces people to limb loss.

The author hopes it gets people comfortable, including children, with amputees.

“Come and ask the questions,” she said. “I love it when people say, ‘What happened?’ or ‘What is this?’ or ‘Why do you call her Sabrina?’”