TAPC is now on Facebook and Linkedin!

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Joe Sansone Honored As Finalist for Health Care Hero Award & More

Our very own TMC Orthopedic CEO Joe Sansone is a finalist for the 1st annual Health Care Hero Award Community Outreach Division and the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Congratulations Joe for just being you! Best of Luck!

So let's see why Joe is so deserving of these awards, in as much of a nutshell as can be...

In 2004, complaints could be heard about the level of service amputee patients were receiving from TMC Orthopedic. Joe could have continued with the standard level of service or do something about it. And so it begins...he listened to his patients, researched other models in the industry, was dissatisfied with what he found and created something entirely different- The Amputee and Prosthetic Center.

Why Should You Care?

Imagine having lost a limb because of something obviously unfortunate. You get shuffled from this doctor and that. You feel lost in the shuffle. Does anyone care that you're missing something you need?

Joe Sansone did and still does. He created a full service patient care program. The moment you walk into the door, you are greeted and introduced to your nurse advocate who will assist you throughout the process. In addition, you also get a peer visitor who is a fellow amputee trained by the Amputee Coalition of America to help you through the hardest part- dealing with the loss and renewing your spirit. And to top it off, you also get a state of the art 8,000 square foot facility, the largest in the country, that offers you not just exceptional patient care but a gym, library and coffee bar.

Why Should I Care?
I, as an employee, have a stake in this too. TMC Orthopedic and The Amputee and Prosthetic Center have received the Best Place to Work award 3 years in a row now from the Houston Business Journal (HBJ). Not only does Joe work round the clock to ensure that his patients are happy, he makes sure his employees happy. A happy employee makes for a happy home (or in this case your home away from home).

He Has a Heart

After years of seeing patients that could not afford a prosthesis go without, Joe decided it was time to give back to the community and formed the charity Limbs of Love. Joe doesn't have the heart to say to someone who has just lost a limb that they can't have one because their insurance won't cover it or they simply can't afford it. Limbs of Love has donated over a million dollars in prosthetic devices to those who would have gone without.

And the Story Continues

Because an amputee's insurance would not cover certain prosthetic devices, Joe sought the help of the Texas Legislature. Joe, along with fellow amputees, marched to the State Capitol to tell their story. On May 13, 2009, Governor Rick Perry signed into law House Bill 806 so that insurance companies are required to provide minimum coverage for amputees equal to Medicare.

What's Your Story
Tell us how Joe and TMC Orthopedic has touched your life. Hopefully the folks at the Health Care Hero Award and Ernst & Young pick up on this.

Wounded Warriors Skydive

What a wonderful way to start the day!

Heather, Kirk and the Warriors sent us a great thank you letter for their recent skydiving adventure.

Saturday morning will never be forgotten. A special thank you goes out to the Brazoria County Calvary for heir gracious escort through Pearland. It takes a special group of people to brave an early morning cold front and harsh winds just to escort us down the road of few miles. Although theweather was out of anyone's control, the willingness of TMC Orthopedic and skydive Spaceland to accomodate us for an additional day was extradordinary. Thank you for working with us.

Our bus had yet to get out of the Houston City Limits before our warriors began asking about going back next year! The halls in the CFI on Monday morning were buzzing with excitement and stories from our skydivers. Before I could even get to work, our Director, COL Menetrez had already been approached by three different patients thanking her for the opportunity to event go! Words cannot express how grateful we are to you for providing us with the opportunity to skdive! Thank you again for a memorable weekend!

The pleasure was all ours. Thank you Wounded Warriors for the service you have given to our country. We can't wait for next year!

New Leg on Life for All Amputees

Fell Down Flight of Stairs- Leg at the Top. Me at the Bottom.

This is a story of Diane Johnston.

Born with a partially developed left leg, Diane was fitted with many prosthetic legs over the years. Because of the design and adjustment time, she had her fair share of stumbles and tumbles. "This past October I fell down a flight of stairs. My leg was still at the top of the stairs…I landed at the bottom, "said Diane. Doctors told her she needed a computerized leg to ensure stability so that she wouldn't fall. Unfortunately, her insurance didn’t cover it.

Limbs of Love fit Diane with $50,000 computerized leg, "the Lexus of prosthetic limbs". This state-of-the-art wonder has a microprocessor in the knew that uses hydraulics to keep her from stumbling. It's the same technology that is currently being used on soldiers who lost their limbs in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Diane recalled the first time she began walking using her high-tech leg with one word: awkward. “Walking with two legs was and is a learning curve,” she said with a laugh in her voice, “but I’ve been told I’m doing just fine!” Each night, she charges her leg for 8 hours and gets around with a cane for the time being. The Amputee and Prosthetics Center believes that she will be walking with ease within two months.

Because of Diane's story and the work of Limbs of Love, the Amputee Coalition of America, and advocates across Texas Governor Rick Perry signed House Bill 806 into law on May 1 to provide minimum coverage for amputees equal to Medicare on the state level.

“I believe Texas is one of a handful of states that will pass this bill, and Joe Sansone and I would like to see this happen nationwide,” said Diane. “If Limbs of Love ever needs my help again, I would most certainly be there to share my story and offer my support.”

It may have taken 60 years and several trial and errors with other prosthetic legs, but with Limbs of Love’s generosity Diane Johnston can finally begin to walk with confidence, not only for herself but for all amputees in need of prosthetic devices.

Check out the KHOU's story about Diane.

TAPC Travels to San Antonio, TX for TAOP Conference

The world of O&P is constantly changing, and the Amputee and Prosthetic Center wants to ensure it's employees are up-to-date on the latest technology to give the best possible care to their patients!

Last weekend five orthotists/prosthetists accompanied Joe Sansone and Ryan Stelck to San Antonio, TX for the Texas Association of Orthotist & Prosthetists (T.A.O.P.) Conference, an annual conference that keeps its members abreast of the latest clinical studies, better business practices, and more.

The group attended workshops on Friday, and were joined that night by their families for a delicious steak dinner. Saturday was filled with professional key note speakers, including our very own Joe Sansone.

It's always amazing to see how quickly things change and evolve in the O&P world, and we were proud to have one of our own present to educate members of the O&P community on the latest developments!

To learn more about speeches given by Joe Sansone, click here.

C.O.O. Wears Dress for a Cause

So you're probably thinking to yourself, "C.O.O. wears dress for a cause"!? What's that about? Well, over at TMC Orthopedic we do things a little differently to motivate our employees.

As many of you know, the Amputee & Prosthetic Center recently sponsored the 2nd Annual Airborne Amputees event hosted by the Limbs of Love organization, where amputees from across Texas skydived to show that life goes on after amputation. The event proved to be a success, as a crowd of over 600 gathered to support amputees (some even chose to jump with them) and participated in a day of fun filled activities at Skydive Spaceland.

As a way to raise money for this event and to support Limbs of Love, an organization that provides limbs to amputees that cannot otherwise afford them, employees sold raffle tickets to the public to win a 50" flat screen TV. Joe Sansone, C.E.O., and Ryan Stelck, C.O.O., were determined to raise money for this worthy cause. They decided that in order to motivate their employees to sell as many raffle tickets as possible, they needed to provide an incentive. They chose to divide employees into two groups, and whichever group sold the most raffle tickets would have dinner cooked for them by the "loser" wearing a dress. When it came down to it, Joe Sansone's team sold the most tickets, and together the two teams raised a total of $20,670.00 for Limbs of Love.

Last Thursday, Ryan Stelck kept his word and showed up to cook and serve dinner to Joe Sansone's team, all in his pretty purple dress, pictured here. Ryan Stelck cooked a delicious dinner and everyone had a blast...now we just have to wait and see what bet they come up with to raise money next year.

Welcome to the Amputee & Prosthetic Center blog

Hello and welcome to the Amputee & Prosthetic Center blog! We have created this blog as a source of information, insight and updates about TAPC.



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