Founded by teenage shark attack survivor and amputee advocate Lulu Gribbin, the Lulu Strong Foundation aims to advance prosthetic technologies and cutting-edge therapies to restore independence and confidence for amputees.
MOUNTAIN BROOK, Ala., March 31, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Today, the Lulu Strong Foundation, founded by teenage shark attack survivor and amputee advocate Lulu Gribbin, announced its first-ever grant distribution for $100,000 awarded to Axolo Health, the Charlotte, NC-based company behind the virtual reality (VR) Targeted Brain Rehabilitation (TBR) therapy that played a pivotal role in Lulu's own recovery.
Co-founded by orthopedic surgeons Dr. Glenn Gaston and Dr. Bryan Loeffler of OrthoCarolina's Reconstructive Center for Lost Limbs—the same physicians who treated Lulu after her attack—Axolo Health develops immersive VR therapies to treat phantom limb pain and sustain neurorehabilitation in amputees.
The grant will be used to support the development of VR treatments specifically related to lower limbs. Lulu credits TBR technology for nearly eliminating her arm's phantom limb pain, and if the technology had been available for her leg, she's confident that she would not have needed to endure as much phantom limb pain as she experienced.
"Axolo Health and the team at OrthoCarolina have changed what recovery can look like for amputees everywhere," said Lulu Gribbin. "Being able to support their work through our foundation's first-ever grant feels like a true full circle moment. They are doing exactly the kind of work we exist to support by making breakthrough technology accessible to every amputee who needs it."
"We are honored to be the recipients of the first-ever grant from the Lulu Strong Foundation," said Gaston. "Having treated Lulu, we've seen firsthand the results that the right care can achieve. This support will keep our research moving forward to expand access to life-changing treatment to any and all amputee patients."
"Lulu has always been a fighter and an advocate, as shown in her own treatment journey," said Loeffler. "Now, her advocacy will leave a lasting impact on fellow amputees. Through this grant, Lulu will help fund the development of the lower extremity Targeted Brain Rehabilitation program, supporting the recovery of amputees around the world."
For most amputees, access to cutting-edge rehabilitation technology is limited by cost and availability. Founded just six months ago, the Lulu Strong Foundation was established to close the access gap. This first grant reflects the foundation's commitment to funding the very innovations that transformed Lulu's own recovery and getting them into the hands of more patients nationwide.
Additionally, the upper extremity TBR therapy that Lulu utilized is now FDA registered as a Class II software medical device and available commercially for upper limb amputees suffering from phantom limb pain.
No one heals alone. For information on how the Lulu Strong Foundation will achieve these goals and how you can help, visit lulustrong.com and follow along on Instagram.
ABOUT LULU GRIBBIN
In June 2024, teenager Lulu Gribbin was attacked by a bull shark, severing her left hand and part of her right leg. Her first words after waking from lifesaving surgery were "I MADE IT"—a statement that has set the tone for her remarkable journey of recovery, strength, and tenacity. Since that time, Lulu has worked to pass the Lulu Gribbin Shark Alert System Act in Alabama and is working on the federal level to pass S.1003, the bipartisan bill known as Lulu's Law. Lulu also founded the Lulu Strong Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit accelerating progress and affordability of AI-powered prosthetics, VR therapy, and other emerging technologies that restore confidence and independence to amputees. Lulu is a gifted speaker, too, having spoken before the Alabama State Legislature, at TEDx Youth, been featured on ABC's Good Morning America and Nightline, and spoken to crowds of up to 19,000 people.
Text "Lulu" to 91999 to support the Lulu Strong Foundation.
ABOUT AXOLO HEALTH
Axolo Health is a surgeon-founded medical software company delivering Targeted Brain Rehabilitation (TBR), a structured, neurologically grounded therapy designed to relieve symptoms of Phantom Limb Pain at its source. Developed by world-class surgeons at the OrthoCarolina Reconstructive Center for Lost Limbs, Axolo Health was born from decades of hands-on amputee care and clinical research addressing one of the most persistent challenges in rehabilitation medicine.
TBR is delivered through FDA-registered Class II Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) and uses immersive, hands-free virtual reality to retrain disrupted neural pathways following amputation. By combining established rehabilitation principles, including laterality recognition, motor imagery, and mirror therapy, within a regulated software platform, Axolo Health enables consistent, repeatable delivery of neurological rehabilitation in real-world clinical settings.
Designed to support clinicians and responsibly expand access to care, Axolo Health is working to establish a new standard of care for phantom limb pain, improving quality of life, and restoring possibility for people living with limb loss. Learn more at axolohealth.com.
ABOUT ORTHOCAROLINA
Since 1922, OrthoCarolina has been a distinguished, physician-owned and physician-led orthopedic practice focused on delivering exceptional, patient-centered care and pioneering solutions. An industry leader in orthopedic treatment, research, and education, OrthoCarolina provides world-class musculoskeletal care across the Carolinas with 40+ locations and nine Orthopedic Urgent Care Centers. OrthoCarolina consistently pushes the boundaries of medical advancement while actively contributing to the training of new specialists and enhancing access to unparalleled orthopedic care. Learn more at orthocarolina.com.
Media Contact
Lulu Gribbin Media Contact, Lulu Strong Foundation, 1 224-619-6463, [email protected], lulustrong.com
Dr. Gaston and Dr. Loeffler Media Contact, OrthoCarolina, 1 704-218-9362, [email protected], orthocarolina.com
SOURCE Lulu Strong Foundation
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