New Campaign to Collect 500 Used Artificial Legs Launched by Standing With Hope for Prosthetic Limb Outreach in Ghana
Nashville, TN (PRWEB) July 09, 2013 -- Building on an innovative partnership with Ghana Health Services, Standing With Hope continues to grow the prosthetic limb outreach it started in the West African country in 2005. In an effort to create a sustainable infrastructure, Standing With Hope trains and equips local workers to build limbs for their own people. Part of that campaign is reflected in the goal of recycling 100 limbs per month for the rest of the year.
Drawing upon her experience as an amputee for more than twenty years, Standing With Hope founder Gracie Rosenberger knows first-hand the life-time needs of someone with limb-loss. "You can't simply give a limb to someone and wish them a happy life," states Gracie. "For children, they will need a new limb every year until maturity, and adults require maintenance and even replacement parts on a regular basis - that's why it is vitally important that we keep an ample supply of feet, pylons, adapters, screws, knee units, and other components used to fabricate and maintain prostheses."
To disassemble those collected devices, Standing With Hope turned to unique source of help. With the assistance of Nashville based Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), Standing With Hope pitched the idea of inmates getting involved in the limb outreach. In the volunteer program’s infancy, inmates have disassembled more than a hundred limbs, and now, with a new online inventory management system in place, Standing With Hope seeks to expand the program to collect even more prostheses.
Standing With Hope president, Peter Rosenberger recalls a letter he received from an inmate in the unique program, ‘I never thought of people with disabilities until I started working in this program. I am really glad to be doing something positive with my hands.’
ABOUT STANDING WITH HOPE
Emerging from a horrific car accident that has now cost her 78 operations, both legs, and $9 million in health care costs, Gracie Rosenberger determined to provide quality prosthetic to amputees who could otherwise not afford them. Through Standing With Hope, Gracie and her husband, Peter, recruit volunteer prosthetists who travel regularly to Ghana to train local workers - in the fully equipped lab that Standing With Hope helped establish and continues to supply with recycled and new materials.
Peter Rosenberger serves as the president of Standing With Hope, and under his leadership the company continues to provide innovative techniques and 21st century solutions to prosthetic limb fabrication in Ghana. Their recently installed high-speed wireless access makes it possible for "tele-medicine" events such as training and real time video patient evaluation.
A family business, the Rosenbergers’ youngest son, Grayson (now a West Point Cadet) won international acclaim as a middle school student with his award winning cosmetic covering for below-knee prostheses using recycled Bubble Wrap.
Peter Rosenberger also hosts a weekly radio show on Clear Channel's WLAC in Nashville where he draws upon his nearly three decades as his wife's caregiver to offer practical help to today's vast population caring for chronically ill, disabled, or elderly loved ones.
Peter Rosenberger, Standing With Hope, http://www.standingwithhope.com, +1 6154819964, [email protected]
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