By Robyn Clarke
When 17-year-old figure skater Kaitlin Sauer steps on the ice, the rest of the world goes away. The stress of school work, the excitement of spending time with friends, the hustle and bustle of everyday life — the moment blade touches ice, none of it matters.
Skating does not come naturally to Sauer. Any success she has experienced on the ice has been the result of hard work and dedication.
“Skating has always been a challenge, but it’s always been a challenge that I’ve wanted to overcome and get better at,” Sauer said.
Sauer first ventured onto the ice at the age of 4, when she and her mom would visit the rink together after preschool classes. Skating was a point of connection for them. Sauer’s mom lived in Alaska when she was a little girl and began her skating journey at the same age as her daughter.
“[Ice skating] was her recess,” Sauer said of her mother. “There, it was either you skate or you sit on the benches and watch. It was cool that she got to teach me how to skate when I was 4 as well.”
Sauer and a group of friends began taking lessons at the age of 8. Most of her friends eventually steered away from the rink, but not Sauer. Not only had the sport become deeply ingrained into her daily routine, but it was a beacon of light as she navigated life with a medical condition.
Amniotic band syndrome, or ABS, is a congenital disorder that occurs when amniotic bands in the placenta become detached and re-anchor themselves on the fetus, according to Sauer. The National Center for Biotechnology Information reports that the condition affects one in 10,000 babies each year.
The effects of ABS can vary, but in Sauer’s case, the disorder resulted in partial facial paralysis. Sauer has undergone 16 surgeries to try to correct the dysfunction, and while some would be discouraged by the extra hurdles, the teenager has chosen to stay positive.
“It’s taught me a lot about just not taking things for granted and always being happy with what you have,” she said. “It’s also given me the opportunity to inspire others, which I think is great. I love being able to help anyone in any possible way.”
Sauer always has one priority after going through surgery: returning to the ice. The thought of skating keeps her motivated, carries her through more difficult days, and often serves as a bargaining tool with her parents and medical team.
“I did use skating a lot as a negotiation point, saying, like, ‘Well, can I get back out there if I do only this?’ Or, ‘If I only go for 30 minutes can I skate in three weeks instead of four weeks?’” she said.
Her dedication has paid off. In 2016, she won the Nine States Championships preliminary test track event, a nonqualifying competition held in Dallas. Sauer, who went into the performance without any expectations, said coming out on top was surreal.
“When they lined us up, they lined us up from sixth to first, and I thought I got sixth, because I was at the end of the line,” Sauer said. “When they started calling the numbers, it took me a minute to figure out what was happening. And then I was really excited.”
She has received accolades off the ice, too. Last year, she was named a patient hero by the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health at the University of Stanford, the hospital where many of her surgeries have occurred. Patient heroes “embody the courage and determination of the thousands of children receiving care at our hospital,” according to the foundation’s website.
The title provided Sauer an opportunity to be a voice for others.
“It just kind of opened doors for me and taught me ways to be that advocate for other kids who might be going through similar things I went through,” she said.
Skating may make the world fade for Sauer, but her influence on others outside of the rink will always shine.
Kaitlin Sauer discussed her skating journey and overcoming challenges in the Voices From The Ice podcast. Listen here.
