In an effort to assist people with physical limitations in developing countries, a local Hampshire, IL teenager, Sarah Carr, is collecting used orthotic braces used to treat scoliosis. The braces will be donated to Limbs 4 Life (www.limbs4life.org), a non-profit organization affiliated with Midwest Medical Mission. Their mission and vision is, “To provide prosthetic limbs and devices and restore ambulatory function to people in developing countries.”
Sarah Carr collaborates with Mercy Orthotics and Prosthetics Center. (Photo provided)
Sarah has adopted this project because both she and her sister have scoliosis, a curvature of the spine. She witnessed firsthand how the scoliosis brace that her sister, Mary, wore helped to prevent her curves from worsening.
“There will always be problems that we can’t solve, such as diseases, war and poverty. This is one problem, that by working together, we can make a difference,” said Sarah.
In researching donation options, the Carr family decided to contact Mercy Health System, where Mary completed her successful treatment with a scoliosis brace. There, they discovered an existing relationship with Limbs 4 Life and the Mercy Orthotics and Prosthetics Center www.mercyhealthsystem.org/service/orthotics-prosthetics-center. The donation was initiated by Naomi Tamparong, NP-C, a nurse practitioner at Mercy Woodstock Medical Center, and Patrick Flanagan, CO, FAAOP, and team lead of the Mercy Orthotics and Prosthetics Center at Mercy Woodstock. “We were already donating used orthopedic and prosthetic devices to Limbs 4 life, and we felt it would be a great idea if we combined our efforts.”
If you have an orthotic brace specifically used for scoliosis that you no longer wear, please contact Sarah at Sarah.carr16@yahoo.com. She will make sure your brace is donated to Limbs 4 Life via Mercy Health System. Other used orthotic and prosthetic devices can be dropped off at Mercy Woodstock Medical Center, 2000 Lake Ave., Woodstock. Donations are shipped on a regular basis.
