Losing a limb is devastating to anyone, but it is especially difficult for people in low-income countries where most people walk several miles a day. Memorial Christian Hospital’s Limb and Brace Department works daily to bring hope and mobility to many amputees.
Yet they are not alone in this life-changing work. LeTourneau University, in Texas, USA, sends students to third world countries to partner in making a difference. Science students, members of the project called LeTourneau Empowering Global Solutions (LEGS), work to design, test, and fit high-quality prosthetic knees. The knees are inexpensive, durable, and largely maintenance-free.
Two students and their team director served amputees at MCH. Students then helped fit knees on ten people. They listened to the amputees tell their personal stories, taught therapeutic exercises, and helped them practice walking.
The students collaborated with MCH’s Limb and Brace staff in knee construction using locally available materials and common tools such as a drill press, band saw, and a sanding unit. The MCH clinicians now confidently manufacture the knees. Partnering together, LEGS and our Limb and Brace team are transforming lives.