haiti children

Local prosthetics company gathers artificial limbs for Haitians in need

OROVILLE — With 75 people a day having amputations in Haiti and medical supplies scarce, thousands of people will be needing prosthetic limbs in two or three months that might not be available.

That's why Hanger Prosthetics and Orthotics in Chico and Oroville have joined a drive to collect used prosthetic limbs that Physicians for Peace will send to Haiti.

Bret Cook, a prosthetist, for Hanger Prosthetic and Orthotics, designs and fits clients with artificial limbs at the Oroville and Chico offices.

Cook has heard anywhere from 4,000 to 10,000 people have had limbs removed in Haiti. As gangrene sits in, more amputations have been reported.

Amputations reportedly are becoming commonplace in the aftermath of the earthquake in a country where there's no one to care for the healthy, let alone the disabled.

Cook doubts that prosthetics, which are very expensive, will be available to Haitian amputees.

"If we don't give them help, they won't get prosthetics," Cook said.

All of Hanger's more than 670 offices nationwide are drop-off points for artificial legs. Cook says there are a lot of used limbs out there.

"Every prosthetic user that I know has one or two used prosthetic legs in their closet," Cook said.

However, many children have had legs removed, and very few children in the United States have prosthetic legs, so other types of donation sources are needed.

Only certain parts of the prosthesis can be reused such as the knees, feet and metal parts. But these parts can be rebuilt and fitted to people in Haiti.

Amputee patients can be fitted with new legs about two to four months after the amputation.

"It depends on how long it takes them to heal," Cook said.

Sometimes recovery takes longer because doctors are trying to save a limb after an accident.

The number of injured and disabled in Haiti has risen dramatically and will continue to rise, according to the Web site www.physiciansforpeace.

Additionally, the resources that had been established to treat the injured and disabled have been destroyed.

The organization is also collecting crutches, canes, walkers and wheelchairs. To donate items other than prosthetic legs, call 1-757-625-7569. Go to the physicians Web site to donate money to support the Physicians for Peace program in Haiti.

The program will send medical professional volunteers to train medical professionals in Haiti.

Those trained peers might go on to treat thousands or hundreds of thousands of people in Haiti. This program also creates jobs in developing countries.

Additionally, providing and fitting people with artificial legs enables them to work and provide for themselves and their families.