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Lending a Hand

In the United States, it is illegal to reuse old prosthetics.

Often times these old appendages end up in attics and basements or even in the dump. These limbs are built to last, and often last longer than the owner has use for them. To help reduce the waste Virginia Commonwealth University physical therapy students have teamed up with Physicians for Peace and At Home Care, Inc. to collect old prosthetics for use in the Walking Free program.

On Saturday June 7 the Walking Free program will hold its 6th annual Limb Drive . They will be taking donations of new and used prosthetics from hospitals, physical therapists and amputees in the parking lot of the Richmond Braves stadium at 3001 North Boulevard.

"The most important part of the limb drive is getting out the word that there is an avenue available to recycle prosthetics, orthics, crutches and wheelchairs," said Mary Kwasniewski , director of global health programs for Physicians for Peace. "They don't need to fill our landfills and dumpsters but can be used instead to change lives."

According to At Home Care amputees receive new prosthetics every two years as they grow and gain weight.

The Walking Free program was conceived in 2000, and came together once Physicians for Peace and At Home Care partnered up in 2002.

"We begin by identifying an unmet need," Kwasniewski said. "We found amputee victims of landmines, earthquakes, motor vehicle accidents, industrial and agricultural accidents, birth defects, disease, and war that receive little or no continuing medical treatment. This fact coupled with the lack of early intervention, rehabilitation training and healthcare resources, the insufficient treatment has become a near epidemic among many amputees in the global community."

Kwasniewski said that Physicians for Peace is the agency that will be handling the collection and appropriation of the donated prosthetics to Walking Free programs around the world. Main areas of interest are developing countries like Jordan, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Turkey, Guatemala and the Philippines.

Virginia Commonwealth University has been involved in the limb drive for five years, at the request of Walking Free founder David Lawrence asked for the help of the VCU department of physical therapy.

"VCU DPT students are doing a lot to prepare for the event," said VCU student Sarah Hour , one of the student volunteers working on the limb drive.

"Volunteers at the event will be disassembling and breaking down donated limbs into component parts and organizing and packing them to be shipped to countries that need them," Hour said.

Old Dominion University in Norfolk worked with Physicians for Peace to create a strong bond with University Catholica at Santa Domingo in the Dominican Republic.

Gail Grisetti is a Physical Therapist and professor at Old Dominion and has been involved with the Walking Free program since its inception.

"The communities embrace us because they are eager to learn and build upon what they already have in terms of a facility or specialists," Grisetti said.

Volunteers from VCU and other sponsor companies will run the event. Organizers said that the main goal of the event is to get the word out that these prosthetics can be recycled and that they are always collecting year-round.

Walking Free Limb Drive, collecting new and used prosthetics, braces, wheel chairs and walkers, is Saturday June 7, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Richmond Braves stadium parking lot, 3001 North Boulevard.