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Mission To Haiti

Limbs for Life to Provide Prosthetics to Haitian Amputees

Limbs for Life Foundation
“We’re not asking for much… just an arm and a leg!”

www.LimbsForLife.org

For Immediate Release

The Limbs for Life Foundation will help Haitian amputees affected by the devastating earthquake of Jan. 12 with assistance from SPS Prosthetics and Orthotics and the Dominican Rehabilitation Association.

Limbs for Life is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides assistance to hundreds of amputees around the world each year. It has been operating in the Dominican Republic via a partnership with DRA for the past three years in Santo Domingo.

According to the BBC, an estimated 200,000 Haitians will lose a limb as a result of the earthquake. The project’s goal is to fit as many amputees as possible starting in the next 30 days and then to continue providing prosthetic care in the long-term.

“Thanks to SPS and DRA we have the supplies and manpower we need to start this massive undertaking,” said Limbs for Life’s executive director. “What’s missing right now is funding. I’m confident help from those who recognize the project’s importance will allow us to help the amputees of Haiti.”

The director said those interested can donate to Limbs for Life at www.limbsforlife.org/haiti. With help, Limbs for Life will be able to get supplies to DRA’s clinics in the Dominican Republic, where trained prosthetists can begin fitting amputees with new limbs at no cost. Because the primary prosthetic clinic in Haiti was severely damaged in the disaster, DRA is offering its facilities while those in Haiti are being rebuilt.

The director said Limbs for Life hopes to send its first mission to the island and build 50 prosthetic limbs for Haiti by Feb. 15, 2010. All parties involved believe this must be done in order to help Haiti recover from the earthquake.

“The people we help are the people who are going to start rebuilding Haiti,” Limbs for Life Director said. “I’ve seen it with the amputees we’ve helped here in the United States and abroad in countries like the Dominican Republic. We’re not asking for money for research. We’re asking for money to help Haitian amputees begin walking again in the very near future. In turn, they’ll be able to help others dig out from this disaster.”

Limbs for Life is located in Oklahoma City. The foundation provides financial assistance to hundreds of amputees each year in the United States. It also collects used limbs for distribution in developing nations such as the Dominican Republic, Turkey and countries in Africa. For more information, visit us at limbsforlife.org.