When Lester Sabolich opened his prosthetic clinic in Oklahoma City in 1947, he just wanted to make a change in lives. His son, John, grew up watching his father design prostheses and was inspired to join the business. He attended New York University and became a certified prosthetist-orthotist, eventually taking over his father’s business in the 1980’s..
amputees
E-NABLE – freely given 3D mechanical hand prosthetics – an inspiring volunteer community
Stephen Davies, who is a recipient and tester of e-NABLE devices himself, traveled 200 miles round trip to deliver an **experimental design to his first recipient: an 8 year old little girl named Isabella, from Bristol UK.
The “3d Mechanical Hand – Maker Movement” was inspired by two strangers (a movie prop and puppet maker from the US and a carpenter from South Africa who has lost several fingers in an accident). They found each other via the internet and came together from 10,000 miles apart – to create a prosthetic hand device for a small child in South Africa …and then gave the plans away – for free…so that those in need of the device could make them for themselves or have someone make it for them.
Prosthetic Technology – a brief history and inspiring future
Ask someone what they think of when they think of an early prosthetic and they would likely bring up the Captain Hook and Pegleg Pete images from tales of pirates. Actually, 3,000 year old prosthetic devices have been uncovered by archeologists on mummified remains.
This prosthetic toe dates back to between 950 and 710 B.C. Kenneth Garrett/Getty Images
Jump forward nearly 2,000 years, into the Dark Ages. Knights, in an effort to maintain their image of strength, hid missing limbs with iron prosthetics. They weren’t functional beyond hiding the lost limb.
In the early 1500’s, French military doctor Ambroise Paré invented a hinged mechanical hand and prosthetic legs with locking knees and specialized attachment harnesses. A Dutch surgeon, Pieter Verduyn developed a lower leg prosthesis with specialized hinges around the end of the 17th century.
Amputee Support Groups – inspiring, informative, invaluable
Support groups not only provide emotional support for amputees and their families, but also information and peer friendships. They have become integral parts of the lives of many amputees and their families, providing information and advice about medical treatments, research and strategies – through brochures, websites, and person-to-person sharing in the group meetings.
UPDATE: Brian Reynolds – Runner, Hiker, Fundraiser – Bilateral Amputee
Last August we blogged about Brian Reynolds, a bilateral amputee since the age of 4, due to meningococcemia. He grew up with a drive to constantly exceed his last accomplishment – an avid endurance hiker, mountain climber and runner and strong charity fundraiser. (read that post here)“I feel like I am flying when I am out on the roads or trails, every time I pull on my running legs is a reminder of what I never thought I could do. It is and it exhilarating and it provides a challenge every time, not only is it a physical sport it is a mental one. You have to be able to push through physical barriers and mental to achieve your best and I really like this dynamic.”