Harry Shaw is back on his feet after 27 years wheelchair-bound!

The past few weeks you may have heard some chatter about a man by the name of “Harry Shaw” around the office—for those of you who haven’t heard about Mr. Shaw, let me tell you.

At the young age of 21, Mr. Shaw lost both of his legs during the Grenada invasion. Although his life was spared, he has spent the last 27 years of his life in a wheelchair, as he was not previously viewed as a prosthetic candidate and came to accept the fact that he would never walk again.
Well guess what? Today that all changes!

Earlier this month, Mr. Shaw traveled from Port Aransas, Texas to Houston in hopes of jumping alongside fellow veterans at the Airborne Amputees event.

The bad news? After traveling to Houston, Mr. Shaw was unable to jump due to the length of his residual limbs and lack of prosthetics.

The good news? He had the opportunity to meet our very own Ben Falls, who felt confident that he could fit Mr. Shaw with a full set of prostheses, allowing him to walk again.

Fast forward to today….and Mr. Shaw is back in Houston ready to be fit with his new prosthetics! Mr. Shaw spent yesterday with Ben and Robin up North, where he began the process of receiving new prosthetics, and will be back again today where Ben anticipates to have him up and walking by this afternoon—that means Mr. Shaw will be taking his FIRST STEPS IN 27 YEARS! Can you believe it?

Mr. Shaw will be at TAPC until tomorrow afternoon, before he returns back to his life in Port Aransas where he will continue his journey of learning to walk again on his own two feet.

The things he looks forward to most? Walking his daughters down the aisle, being able to get groceries of the high shelf without asking for help, wearing cowboy boots (like a true Texan!), dancing with his wife with whom he’s never danced before….and I’m sure jumping at next year’s Airborne Amputee Event, which is responsible for making this all possible!

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Limbs of Love Visits Great Day Houston

Want to start your day off right? Then tune into channel 11 and watch Great Day Houston with Debra Duncan—who knows, you may get lucky and see a few familiar faces!

Why you ask? Because in the past month, ten of our employees have served as guests on two different shows!

The first appearance took place just before the Airborne Amputees event, where Alicia, Erin, Jody, Robin, Yolanda, Charlotte, Ramona, Eric, Heather and Neely received their “30 seconds of fame” promoting Limbs of Love and the Airborne Amputee skydive!

The event was such a success that Great Day Houston invited us back for more, this time as a guest on a show honoring our veterans, where Ryan spoke about what we do as a company for the Wounded Warriors who have lost limbs in service to our country. Jody also attended as the founder of Airborne Amputees, sharing her personal experiences.

Although the show was taped today, it will be airing again for Memorial Day and again for a third time for their 4th of July segment—while your enjoying these two holidays off, grab a bowl of cereal, curl up on the couch, and start your morning with Debra Duncan and Limbs of Love!

Wounded Warriors Skydive to Prove that 'life is not over after amputation'

Although cloud cover may have stopped a few of us from jumping at the third annual Airborne Amputee skydive, it didn't stop a group of Wounded Warriors who had traveled from Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, TX, to serve as the guests of honor at the event. The Wounded Warriors made their jump the following day, and FOX 26 was there to witness it.

Today, Joe Sansone, founder of Limbs of Love, and Jody Graham, founder of Airborne Amputees, joined Melissa Wilson on the FOX 26 morning show to discuss the Limbs of Love program and it's unique skydiving fundraiser. While many people think we've lost our minds for bringing these American Heroes to Houston to jump out of a perfectly good airplane, it's clear from the clip above that there's nothing they would rather do more.

Students Walk for Limbs of Love

Some parents walked with their children, others cheered on from the sidelines, but they all had one thing in common: they were there to teach their children the value of giving and serving others.

On Saturday, May 8th a group of over 300 children and adults joined together for the G.I.V.E. Walk-a-thon, a joint venture between Sagemont Church and Stuchbery Elementary School. The group walked a three-mile route around Sagemont Church to raise money for Limbs of Love and to provide shoes for children in Kiberia, the largest slum in Africa.

The students ranged from Pre-K through 6th grade and were enthusiastic about raising money for children in need. The students were eager to learn about how prosthesis were made, the causes of amputation, the abilities of amputees, and some even shared stories of people they knew that were amputees. It was amazing to watch children who had already learned the answers to these questions share their new-found knowledge with other children who had just arrived at the event.

As these children left their comfort zones, and became educated on amputation and amputees, they quickly began to understand, and therefore accept the amputee community, realizing that amputees are just everyday people like you and me. One little girl who was proof of this newfound understanding among the group was an extremely shy six-year-old, who was unsure of how to approach the subject of “amputation.” She saw the picture of Limbs of Love recipient Cameron Crowder, who she said looked like one of her friends. After hearing Cameron’s story, the shy little girl quickly opened up, and even donated the dollar her mom gave her to get a treat at the concession stand, in hopes of Limbs of Love helping another girl like Cameron.

Events such as the G.I.V.E. Walk-a-thon are not only a wonderful opportunity to raise money for Limbs of Love, but give us a forum to expose and educate the public on the amputee community. Many thanks to Sagemont Church and Stuchbery Elementary for inviting Limbs of Love to take part in this enriching event!

Sure, we walk, we run; but have you ever heard of skydiving for charity?

We'll that's exactly what TAPC did last weekend at Airborne Amputees to raise money for Limbs of Love and prove that the sky’s the limit following amputation.

The thought of jumping out of a plane 14,000 feet in the air and plummeting to the earth at 120mph didn’t intimidate the over 150 amputees and 17 Wounded Warriors who signed up to jump for the cause.

While this was the third year Limbs of Love hosted the Airborne Amputee Skydive, this year’s event was unlike any they had ever hosted before. Between the barbeque, bands, moonwalks, P.T. Rehab Games, miniature horse rides, and even an Oreo cookie Dunk-off, the 130-acre airpark was transformed into a festival with fun to be had by all. “The primary purpose of the event is to allow amputees to prove to themselves and to the world once and for all that the sky is the limit following amputation,” said founder Joe Sansone.

The Wounded Warriors arrived at the venue enveloped by over a multitude of escorts stretching out for almost a mile that included motorcyclists, law enforcement and fire departments from around Texas, all organized by the Brazoria County Cavalry, to serve as the guests of honor. The military heroes, who had made the extreme sacrifice in losing limbs defending our country, were truly an inspiration to the estimated crowd of over 600 as they received several standing ovations throughout the day.

The event not only provided the experience of a lifetime for the Wounded Warriors as well other amputees, but also served as an exciting way to raise money for Limbs of Love, a charity that provides artificial limbs to amputees that cannot otherwise afford them. Two amputees including Aaron Acosta, who lost all four of his limbs after coming in contact with a live power wire, will receive prosthetics from Limbs of Love as a result of the event.

Unfortunately, due to overcast weather, the group was unable to jump on Saturday, but many of the amputees in attendance, including the 17 Wounded Warriors, returned on Sunday to make their jump to prove that life is not over after amputation. And from the look on the spectators’ faces as dozens of amputees touched down on the ground, the perception of abilities of amputees made a huge leap forward.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Airborne Amputees moved to 5/1/10

I'm sad to report that the 3rd annual Airborne Amputee skydive hosted by Limbs of Love was postponed due to inclement weather....however; the good news is the event has been rescheduled for Saturday, May 1st and according to the weather man it's going to be a BEAUTIFUL day!

It was a tough decision on whether or not we should put the brakes on all of our hard work, however we are extremely grateful to have an incredible team of volunteers, sponsors and vendors who have altered their plans to ensure the event is everything it was going to be (and more!) on May 1st!

We have an amazing day in store for our Wounded Warriors and the amputee community, and we hope you can all join us for a day full of music, friends, food and fun as over 150 amputees leap out of a plane at 16,000 feet to prove that life goes on after amputation!

Need more information on the event? Check out http://www.airborneamputee.com/ The event is free of charge so be sure to come enjoy the day with us!

Skydiving is free for amputees and $150 for non-amputees. Sign-up today!

We hope to see you there!

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Joe is going to Haiti!

On Saturday, February 27th our very own Joe Sansone will be traveling to Haiti to make preparations for the early summer, when he will again return to Haiti with a team of TAPC prosthetists to fit limbs on amputee earthquake victims.

Although Limbs of Love primarily works with amputees in need across Texas and the U.S., it is time for us to broaden our horizons and reach out to those that need us most.

With the number of amputees growing by the day, and little to no prosthetic care available, the future looks grim for the new generation of amputees created by the recent earthquake. TMC and Limbs of Love are committed to giving a few of these survivors a new lease on life and a chance for a brighter future.

This week, the Houston Business Journal featured a front page story on our efforts in Haiti. We should all be proud to be part of an organization that changes so many lives for the better.

Special deliveries to Haiti (Ford Gunter, Houston Business Journal)

While Haiti continues to receive countless donations of money and man-hours from corporations and individuals, two Houston companies are contributing something quite unique.
Air Liquide USA LLC, the American wing of Paris-based Air Liquide SA, has assembled and mobilized two portable filling systems for medical oxygen, a critical necessity in short supply in the earthquake-ravaged nation.
TMC Orthopedic LLC, the largest orthopedic company in Texas, is organizing an effort to provide prosthetic limbs for thousands of amputees. Read more....

Limbs of Love Patients Revisted--TONIGHT on CH.45 @ 10PM

During the Thanksgiving Holidays, Univision documented the lives of three amputees, who, despite missing their limbs, were grateful for the lives they had been blessed with. We watched these three amputees struggle performing simple daily activities that most people take for granted due to the lack of or ill-fitting prosthetic devices.








Tonight and tomorrow at 10:00pm, Univision will be revisiting these three amputees’ stories, showing how their lives have been changed for the better through the donation of prosthetic devices from Limbs of Love.

Wounded Warriors Guest of Honor at 3rd Annual Amputee Skydive

I just returned from a visit at the Center for the Intrepid at Brooke Army Medical base in San Antonio where I went to invite the Wounded Warriors that had lost their limbs in their service to our country to be the guests of honor at the 3rd Annual Airborne Amputee Jump.

Upon arriving there was a group of 15 or so Wounded Warrior amputees participating in a game of sitting volleyball—a sport played just like the standing game except for a lower net, smaller court and sitting players. Just watching these guys play this game was a true testament to the spirit and fortitude of our Wounded Warriors.

As I approached the group of young men, primarily in their early 20s, I noticed that they were all missing limbs—some missing one leg, some missing both, and others missing an arm. After a few moments in their presence, surrounded by competitive jeers and trash talking, I quickly forgot that these athletes were amputees or even Wounded Warriors. They were just a group of competitive guys playing a so called “meaningless” game of volleyball. I couldn’t imagine a different atmosphere in the locker room at half time during a NFL Super Bowl Game.

These guys have given their limbs for our country and they will be forced to live the rest of their lives as an amputee. But you’d never know it in their attitude. It is fitting that we do what we can to ease their pain and aid in their rehabilitation. Entertaining them and allowing them to go out of town with their families will be a well deserved break for them. Jumping our of an airplane will allow these guys to make a statement to the world that life as an amputee is OK and they are capable of doing incredible feats.


I am invigorated after watching these guys. The hard work that you put into the upcoming months with likely affect these American heroes for the rest of their lives—some will leave with unforgettable memories and for others, it will be a truly life-changing event that will give them the confidence to live the life they always dreamed of, despite the cards they have been dealt. It is an honor to have these young men join us for this event, and I want to thank you again for helping Limbs of Love give back to those that have sacrificed so much for all of us.

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For more information on Airborne Amputees, please visit http://www.airborneamputee.com/ or email mbonham@tmcortho.com

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Limbs of Love to provide care to Haiti earthquake victims

In the aftermath of Haiti’s earthquake, TAPC and Limbs of Love are reaching out to the over 200,000 earthquake victims who have suffered the loss of a limb in this tragedy. We are busy gathering hundreds of prosthetic components and planning a mission trip to fit those in need with limbs in the upcoming months. For those of you who missed the news coverage last week, be sure to check out the stories below:

The Spring Observer

ABC

KHOU


ABC



FOX

Limbs of Love Provides the Best Gift of All

The holiday season is a time for giving, and that is just what we are doing at TAPC through our charity, Limbs of Love.

Last week, Univision ran Part I of a two part series on Limbs of Love, starring three of our very own Limbs of Love recipients. These are three truly amazing people, who share with viewers why they are thankful this holiday season, despite the cards they have been dealt. For all of you who missed it (or would like to watch it again with English subtitles)….now’s your chance!

Segment I: Jorge Hernandez

Segment II: Alejandro Osorio & Victor Miramon

Segment III: The Prosthetic Fabrication Process, starring Rebeca Guajardo, Tony Caballero & the Prosthetic Fab Shop!

Restoring Hope Just in Time for the Holidays

Although they have three very different stories, amputees Alejandro Osorio, Jorge Hernandez and Victor Miramon have one thing in common: they all received new limbs, and a new lease on life, thanks to Limbs of Love.

Alejandro was the first recipient to arrive at the Amputee & Prosthetic Center, and was joined by friends and family who were anxious to see their loved one take the first steps on his new prosthetic leg. Throughout the Limbs of Love process, Alejandro has been very quite and reserved, but once Rebeca Guajardo put his new leg on him (fit by Ben Falls) and he began to walk, his face brightened and he broke into a smile we had never seen before.

Alejandro’s friends and family cried tears of joy, as Alejandro smiled and laughed with each step he took. The ill-fitting leg Alejandro had been wearing cut into his skin and did not have a knee joint not only causing him pain, but making it near impossible to walk in a straight line.

While the initial plan was for Alejandro to stay inside the parallel bars, Alejandro decided he wanted to do things differently. Alejandro left the parallel bars and headed straight for the stairs, beaming as he walked up and down stairs for the first time in years. His daughter, Patti, watched in amazement and said, “You know why he’s doing that right? Ben [Falls] showed that he can do everything with his leg, so my Dad decided he was going to be able to do everything too—I guess he decided to get started now!”

Before leaving, Alejandro’s daughters brought out a cake to celebrate and show their appreciation for giving their father his life back. After many more hugs and tears, Alejandro and his family headed out to the parking lot, where Alejandro walked up and down the sidewalk, not wanting to leave. Eventually he left, letting us know that next time we saw him he would be walking without a cane and dancing on his new leg.

Shortly after Jorge Hernandez arrived with his mom, wife and sons, who were in shock that Jorge was about to receive a leg, freeing him from the wheelchair that he had been in ever since an accident seventeen years ago that resulted in the amputation of both of his arms and one of his legs. Once Jorge was fit with his prosthetic leg, Nick Glebowski and Rebeca helped Jorge as he took his first steps—something he had given up hope on years ago. His family cried as they imagined the possibilities for Jorge’s future. At 31, Jorge is optimistic about what’s in store, and looks forward to being able to be a whole man, father and husband again.

The final recipient, Victor Miramon, had been struggling with prosthesis that he received as a child. Now at 26, his leg no longer fits and he is forced to make alterations to it himself in efforts to continue participating in daily activities. His mother, sister, nephew and son all joined him as Rebeca and Nick fit him with his new leg, allowing him to live his active lifestyle without his prosthesis holding him back. Once Victor had on his new leg, he could not stop talking about what a huge difference having a leg that actually fit made—he even started jumping the parallel bars, something he could have never done with his previous prosthesis. Now that Victor has a leg that fits, he looks forward to going back to work, playing basketball with his friends and living his life without anything holding him back.

Check out Limbs of Love on Facebook for more pictures!

TAPC Patient Hosts BBQ Benefit for Limbs of Love

Sunday’s Limbs of Love BBQ Benefit, hosted by TAPC patient Adrienne Pena, turned out to be a great success!

Adrienne, who lost both of her legs in August of 2008, was inspired to host this benefit after seeing how amputee’s lives have been changed through Limbs of Love. Adrienne, who received her limbs through DARS, felt that hosting this benefit would allow her to reach out to the amputee community and help those who have no other place to turn.

“This is completely from her heart,” said Adrienne’s mother, Yolanda Pena.

After spending the past month collecting donations of food, drinks, raffle items, and other various supplies, Adrienne had all the details in place to ensure the event went off without a hitch.

When the event kicked off at 11am, families were already lined up, ready to enjoy BBQ and support this great cause. Throughout the day we were joined by TAPC employees and their families, who came to enjoy the beautiful weather, great food and to show their support for Limbs of Love. There were even a few lucky employees that won gift baskets in the raffle!

Because of Adrienne’s hard work, Limbs of Love will be providing a patient with a limb that would have otherwise gone without.

Limbs of Love will forever be grateful for Adrienne’s dedication to Limbs of Love, and looks forward to another great event next year!

For more information on Limbs of Love, visit http://www.limbsoflove.com/

For stories on patients who have benefitted from Limbs of Love, click here.

Meet our new Limbs of Love recipients

Friday proved to be a very emotional day at NBP, as we met three Limbs of Love recipients and their families for the first time.

The first recipient, Jorge, lost both of his arms and one of his legs in an electrical accident at the age of 14. Although he doesn’t have arms, Jorge has adapted to life—even learning to drive with what arms he does have when his wife was pregnant with their son and could no longer drive herself.

On Friday Jorge was joined by his mother, wife and two young sons and they were ecstatic about Jorge getting his life back. Jorge could not be more grateful, as he extended his thanks to everyone at Limbs of Love for allowing him to become a whole father, man and husband again. What he is most looking forward to once he receives his prosthesis is playing at the park with his sons for the first time instead of watching from his wheelchair on the side.

Victor, the second recipient, has not allowed the lack of a proper fitting prosthetic device slow him down. After being diagnosed with bone cancer at 11, Victor underwent an amputation to save his life. Growing up, he refused to use his amputation as an excuse, participating in various extreme sports alongside his friends, his favorite being snowboarding. Now 26, the prosthesis provided to him through Medicaid no longer fits, and he is constantly fixing and making alterations to his leg in efforts to continue working and living his life. His mother, sister, and nephew feel his optamistic attitude and overall outlook have gotten to him where he is today.

The third recipient, Alejandro, lost his leg after falling off a platform while working at a petroleum plant. He currently walks on a prosthesis that cuts into his skin, preventing him from participating in day-to-day activities. His friends, family, and members of the church all came to support Alejandro and thank Limbs of Love for the work we do for amputees.

There were lots of tears as the recipients shared their stories and hopes for the future. Thanks to Limbs of Love, their futures look bright as they envision the endless possibilities that will be available to them with their new prosthetic devices.

Limbs of Love--update!

If you missed my post on Friday, you may not have know that Limbs of Love helped not one, but two amputees in need get back on their feet again! Abel Bravo and Terri French had been wheelchair bound for years, unable to obtain artificial limbs due to financial constraints and lack of insurance coverage. Seeing the hope in Abel Bravo’s eyes, knowing that he can finally go back to work and support his family after years of struggling, and watching Terri French beam with pride as she picked up her granddaughter, standing on her own two feet for the first time ever, inspires us to want to work even harder to do this over and over again for as many people as possible.

If you missed Limbs of Love on the news last night, be sure to check out the videos of these two amazing recipients. We should all be proud to say we are part of Limbs of Love, a charity that has changed so many people’s lives and will continue to do so in years to come. Way to go team!

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.