Kellie Lim, a triple amputee due to bacterial meningitis at age 8, [1] graduated near the top of her class at UCLA medical school in 2007 after having been given only a 15% chance of survival. [2] Lim was born in Michigan and raised by her blind mother, Sandy Lim, in Detroit. [3] She cites her experience as an ill child as the reason she chose to become a pediatrician. [1] She does not use a prosthetic arm, and performs most medical procedures with just one arm. She uses prosthetic legs to walk. [4]
The story of Lim's graduation was covered by news outlets throughout the United States and she was also honored by ABC as Person of the Week in June 2007. [5] Prior to attending UCLA, she attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois where she was an advocate for students with disabilities. [6]