Luis is a seven-year-old boy who was born without a left arm. In Guatemala, where he lives, there are limited resources for children who need prosthetics, so he’s never had the opportunity to experience life with the use of both hands.
Fortunately, we can change that. The specialists at our Guatemalan medical partner, Wuqu’ Kawoq, are ready to outfit Luis with an “Open Socket” arm, a new generation of prosthetic device that allows for a custom fit that can be adjusted as the patient grows.
Young children like Luis often have an advantage over adults when it comes to getting a new prosthetic because their neurological functions and habits are still forming. Our medical partner expects that Luis will adapt quickly to his new arm, and may even be capable of eating with a fork and writing as using the device becomes second nature. They predict that Luis’s story will be “the heartwarming case of the month.”
For $940, we can help give Luis more than a piece of equipment, but a brighter and more productive future!
Luis is a seven-year-old boy who was born without a left arm. In Guatemala, where he lives, there are limited resources for children who nee...
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Luis received an Open Socket prosthetic to replace his missing left arm.
Our medical partner was excited to fit Luis with his prosthetic because younger patients typically adapt to the devices incredibly quickly, making the treatment immediately impactful. Luis is still quite small, so while the prosthetic is adjustable and will allow Luis to grow up with the same device, it was nearly too big for his current body. Luckily, the doctors were able to fit it with some careful adjustments.
Luis’ parents say they are excited that the prosthetic will allow “those parts of his brain to develop like they should.” And they were right! Within just a few minutes, Luis was running around the clinic showing off his new arm and all the things he could do with it :)
Our medical partner was excited to fit Luis with his prosthetic because younger patients typically adapt to the devices incredibly quickly, ...
Read more