Student brings teen 10,000 miles for new leg

A chance conversation has transformed a teenager’s life – thanks to the kindness of a student 10,000 miles away.
Kelemete Raivuni, 17, was born in Fiji with only one fully-formed leg. But when Lisa Buckley, from Salford University, was told by her dad about the boy he met while working for the British High Commission on the island, she vowed to help.
Lisa, a prosthetics and orthotics student, and her dad Roy Zaman set about raising the £4,000 needed to fly Kelemete to Britain and pay for a new limb.
Lisa, a mum-of-three from Chadderton, said: “I never thought this would be possible when I first came up with the idea. Kelemete's a lovely kid and very humble. He is so grateful and we thrilled to bits we could help. This is the reason I went back to university.”
Kelemete said: “It has been really hard growing up surrounded by children who could use both their legs without problems and I just had crutches to get around. My wooden false limb was heavy and restricted what I can do. I have to fix it myself with tape, glue and string.
“My new limb will make my life so much better and easier. I am very lucky." The trip was paid for by Rotary Club Suva North Fiji and the Rotary Club of Chadderton and Failsworth.
Kelemete has been staying with Tony Wright, secretary of the Rotary Club Chadderton and Failsworth.
Dr Glyn Heath, director of prosthetics and orthotics in health care professions at Salford, said he was thrilled to be involved in helping Kelemete.
“Kelemete's artificial limb was functional, but very primitive, ill-fitting, totally beyond repair and incredibly heavy.
“This will make his mobility so much easier and give him a new level of confidence.

Mission to Malawi: City humanitarians plan boost for false limb centre

May 27 2010 By Ben Spencer
A CENTRE providing false limbs and support equipment in Malawi is to be expanded - thanks to the people of Glasgow.
Lord Provost Bob Winter joined former Scotswoman of the Year Olivia Giles yesterday to publicise the return of a humanitarian aid team to Malawi.
The prosthetics and orthotics centre was founded in the capital Lilongwe last year by Olivia and her 500 Miles Charity, with the help of the Lord Provost and City Building.
Under the auspices of the Lord Provost's Malawi Fund, 13 men and three women will fly out to work on medical and educational projects in September.
Olivia added: "Without this support, I would still be trying to get the clinic off the ground."
One objective of the 10-day trip is to build a bigger prosthetics and orthotics centre. Demand for t reatment has grown steeply and the clinic helps about 40 patients per month.
The country has about 60,000 people who need their services.
The building work, using a timber kit made by Royal Strathclyde Blindcraft Industries, will provide much-needed space for orthopaedic technicians.
It will also allow 500 Miles to accommodate people who need somewhere to stay in Lilongwe while their devices are being fitted - a process that often takes a week.
Employees of Glasgow City Council, Access LLP and City Building will be on the team.
During the visit, the team will also install computer equipment in hospitals, schools and libraries, as well as monitoring earlier IT installations.
Mr Winter added: "We and our partners are proud to be part of something so life-changing and practical and its success is proof of the benefits of partnership."

MSOE students design contraption to help Milwaukee student play trumpet

WITI-TV, MILWAUKEE - A young Milwaukee boy is getting a new opportunity to play the trumpet thanks to the work of a couple of students from Milwaukee School of Engineering.Ethiel Vega has a condition known as ortho repulsis. It's forced him to live without the use of his hands. It's also kept him from learning to play the trumpet.But MSOE students Dan Harder and Jafal Al-Galamed designed a device that allows Vega to use his arms and his leg to play the horn.Manitoba Music Specialist Donna Dudenhoefer put Vega in contact with the students because she say his desire and determination to play.

Please take the Lower Limb Prosthesis Survey

LOWER LIMB PROSTHESIS SURVEY: Quality Outcomes is sponsoring a survey for wearers of lower limb prostheses. The anonymous data collected in this survey will help set benchmarks for quality of service and will benefit the O&P profession. Please click here to take the survey.

PossAbilities

PossAbilities is a community outreach program developed by the Loma Linda University Medical Center East Campus (LLUMCEC). Its goal is to offer disabled individuals who were born with or have suffered a permanent physical injury a sense of community and provide activities and practical help to integrate them back into life-once again becoming valuable members of our communities. LLUMCEC recognizes that this disenfranchised population is often left without resources or support to deal with the many adjustments they must make physically, mentally, and emotionally in order to have fulfilling lives. Our mission is to provide new direction and hope through physical, social, educational, and spiritual interaction with peers and their community. This free membership program is tailored to persons with physical disabilities such as limb amputation, stroke, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, and others.