The Importance of Recycling Prosthetic Limbs

I Just Gotta Tell Ya

• 70 landmine-affected countries and six other mine-affected territories not internationally recognized. To see a list of these countries click here. Afghanistan and Cambodia, are some of the most affected countries.
• In 2001- over 300 people a day were hurt by land mines every month in Afghanistan
• Estimated number of land mines in Afghanistan are from 5-10 million
• Landmines kill or injure two Cambodian people every day. In areas which have been mined, land cannot be used for farming – so food production suffers.

• United Nations reports that “the number of units of blood required to operate on patients with mine injuries is between 2 and 6 times greater than that needed by other war casualties

How To Recycle Prosthetic Limbs

Amputee Coalition of America, states “Prosthetic components are generally not reused in the United States because of legal considerations. However, used prosthetic limbs may be disassembled and the components shipped to Third World countries for use by landmine victims and/or other individuals in need.” See their Website for a list of organizations in the U.S. that accept donations of prosthetics.

Where to Recycle Prosthetic Limbs

Ability Prosthetics & Orthotics 455 South Washington Street, Suite 11  Gettysburg, PA 17325  717/337-2273  http://www.abilitypo.com

• Ability Prosthetics and Orthotics has teamed up with Physicians for Peace.  Their goal is to collect old prosthetic parts and ship them overseas so that more amputees will have greater access. They will accept prosthetic donations at all their facilities in Maryland and Pennsylvania.

Angels with Limbs 289 Broadway Long Branch, NJ 07740 732/222-2500 http://www.angelswithlimbs.org

• (New Jersey only) Angels with Limbs is a charitable, non-profit corporation soliciting unused artificial limbs so as to recycle their usable prosthetic components in fabricating a new prosthesis for needy un-insured or under-insured New Jersey amputees.

Barr Foundation c/o MedShare International  3240 Clifton Springs Road, Decatur, GA 30034 561/391-7601   http://www.oandp.com/resources/organizations/barr

• This fund pays for materials and fitting of a new prosthesis after the prosthetist has established that there are no other sources of funding available. The Barr Foundation also accepts monetary, used and new prosthetic devices and components, and will acknowledge all donations with our federal non profit federal tax identification number for your tax purposes. Please call or e-mail the Barr Foundation for further information

Bowman Siciliano Limb Bank Foundation 100 Spanish Oak RD,  Weatherford, TX 76087 817/597-1826 http://www.danabowman.com/danabowman122006_032.htm

• This Foundation collects and distributes all forms of prosthetic limbs to those in need. They collaborate at times with other foundations to assist in countries outside the U.S. and prosthetic labs across the U.S. They raise funds to provide transportation, lodging, and prosthetic limbs and services to those in need.

The International Foundation for the Physically Disabled 2795 E BidwellST Suite 100 #245 Folsom, CA 95630 916/990-8313 or 866/542-5854 (toll free) http://www.theifpd.org

• It is the primary mission of The International Foundation for the Physically Disabled (IFPD) to provide necessary and appropriate prostheses, orthotics and durable medical devices for various individuals of limited financial means, as well as victims of war and the disabled in third world & developing countries.

Limbs for Life Foundation 906  http://www.limbsforlife.org

• Thanks to the World Limb Bank, the Limbs for Life Foundation is able to collect and distribute used prosthetics and prosthetic componentry free of charge to amputees in third world countries. Parts are utilized to create prostheses for their recipients, thus reducing the costs for the prosthetist. They also accept unused socks or liners.

Limbs of Hope Foundation 6782 S Dixie DR West Jordan, UT 84084 801/548-0553 http://www.limbsofhope.org/resources.html

• The Limbs of Hope Foundation accepts new and used prosthetics that are to be sent across the globe in hopes of bettering the quality of life for those in need. They also provide recreational opportunities and recreational equipment for underdeveloped countries, as well as remodeling clinics in countries torn by war and/or illness.

Limbs of Love 1000 S Loop West STE 150 Houston, TX 77054 713/747-7647 http://www.limbsoflove.com/

• Limbs of Love utilizes the time, skills and resources of medical professionals and manufacturers who receive no remuneration in an effort to improve the overall quality of life for amputees, primarily in Texas. Through the support of The Amputee and Prosthetic Center, prosthetic manufacturers, and medical personnel from the Houston area, Limbs of Love will be donating as many as 20 prosthetic limbs with a value of over $250,000 to those who have suffered the loss of a limb and have been previously turned away.

Michigan Society to Advance Rehabilitation, Inc. (M-Star) 4973 E Ten Mile RD, #7 Warren, MI 48091 586/295-0321 http://m-star.org/donations.htm

• M-STAR provides peer support and aid to those who have lost one or more limbs either through traumatic or surgical amputation. M-STAR is set up for the good of the public and not for private profit. It is a non-commercial endeavor to aid amputees.

National Amputation Foundation 40 Church ST Malverne, NY 11565 516/887-3600 http://www.nationalamputation.org

• The National Amputation Foundation (NAF) has for over 80 years been offering valuable assistance to veterans of World War I, II, Korea, the Vietnam Conflict, Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom. Since then, the Foundation has expanded its facilities to include civilian amputees as well.

Physicians for Peace 229 W Bute ST, STE 200 Norfolk, VA  23510 757/625-7569, ext. 326 http://www.physiciansforpeace.org/site/PageServer?pagename=donations

• Physicians for Peace is an international, humanitarian, non-profit, medical education organization dedicated to building peace and international friendships in developing nations with unmet medical needs and scarce resources. Donations of medical supplies and equipment are greatly valued.

Standing With Hope–  914 Waterswood Drive, Nashville, Tennessee

The Prosthetic and Orthotic Component Clearinghouse MedShare International c/o P.O.C.C. 3240 Clifton Springs Road Decatur, GA 30034 http://usispo.org/pocc/

• The POCC was launched in July 2007 as a collaborative project between MedShare International and the U.S. National Member Society of ISPO (US-ISPO). The aim of the Prosthetic and Orthotic Component Clearinghouse is to provide a mechanism for people to make tax deductible donations of new and gently used prosthetic and orthotic goods while in turn affording non-governmental organizations (NGOs), P&O practitioners, and developing world schools and facilities access to these badly needed supplies.

Volunteers for Inter-American Development Assistance (VIDA) 6251 Hollis ST Emeryville, CA 94608 510/655-8432 http://www.vidausa.org

• VIDA is a nonprofit medical relief and development assistance organization based in Emeryville, CA. Since their foundation in 1991, they have provided nearly $40 million in medical aid to eleven countries in Latin America. They are currently attempting to acquire prosthetic limbs for victims of landmines.

• Amputee Coalition of America– Fact Sheet on recycling Prosthetic Limbs and where to donate.
• Journal of Mine Action– Victim Assistance
• Mines Action Canada–
• US  Policy on Mine Removal in Afghanistan
• Cartagena Summit- www.CartagenaSummit.org
• Anti Personal Mine Ban Convention Implemention Support www.apminebanconvention.org.-Seeks to eradicate the use, production, stockpiling, transfer and the destruction of mines across the world
• World Vision’s Advocacy site http://www.worldvision.com.au/getinvolved/advocacy
• The International Campaign to Ban Landmines http://www.icbl.org/
• The International Campaign to Ban Landmines site for young people http://www.icbl.org/youth
• The International Campaign to Ban Landmines ambassadors’ site http://www.icbl.org/amb/
• Mines Advisory Group http://www.mag.org.uk/
• Demining Research at the University of Western Australia http://www.mech.uwa.edu.au/jpt/demining/
• Mine Action Information Centre at James Madison University, USA http://www.maic.jmu.edu/
• The United Nations Mine Action Service http://www.mineaction.org/