U.S. Financial Aid
The Barr Foundation
136 NE Olive Way
Boca Raton, FL 33432
U.S.A.
Telephone: (561) 391-7601
E-mail: barr@oandp.com
Limbs for Life Foundation
5929 N. May, Ste. 511
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
U.S.A.
Telephone: (405) 843-5174
Toll Free: (888) 235-5462
Fax: (405) 843-5123
E-mail: lflf@limbsforlife.org
You can also find a domestic funding fact sheet online through the Amputee Coalition of America.
International NGOs
Answer: There are a few large non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that work in the field of prosthetics and orthotics:
Handicap International
14, av. Berthelot
69361 Lyon Cedex 07
France
Telephone: 33 (0) 4 78 69 79 79
Fax: 33 (0) 4 78 69 79 94
E-mail: contact@handicap-international.org
International Committee of the Red Cross
Public Information Centre
19 avenue de la Paix
CH 1202 Geneve
Switzerland
Telephone: 41 (22) 734 60 01
Fax: 41 (22) 733 20 57
E-mail: webmaster.gva@icrc.org
POWER – The International Limb Project
4 Church Road
Lewknor Oxon OX49 5TP
United Kingdom
Telephone: (44) (0) 1494 464922
Fax: (44) (0) 1494 464922 or 01494 464933
E-mail: power@sarhodg.demon.co.uk
Mobility Outreach International
192 Nickerson Street, Suite 201
Seattle, WA 98109
U.S.A.
Telephone: (206) 726-1636
Fax: (206) 726-1637
E-mail: info@mobilityoi.org
Vietnam Assistance for the Handicapped
P.O. Box 6554
McLean, VA 22106
U.S.A.
Telephone: (703) 847-9582
Fax: (703) 448-8207
E-mail: vnah1@aol.com
Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation
1725 Eye Street NW, Fl. 4
Washington, DC 20006
U.S.A.
Telephone: (202) 483-9222
Fax: (202) 483-9312
E-mail: dha@vi.org
World Vision, Inc.
P.O. Box 9716
Federal Way, WA 98063-9716
U.S.A.
Telephone: (253) 815-1000
Toll Free: (888) 511-6598
E-mail: info@worldvision.org
Donating Used Prosthetics
A few non-profit research organizations will use patient consent forms signed by the amputee stating that the amputee will accept a prosthesis that is assembled with used components. In this case, the patient is not charged for those components and the prosthetist can fit them provided they are appropriately applied. In a research setting, the components may be in development and the prosthetist can only say that to the best of his or her knowledge the part should not fail.
Educational institutions will also use amputee consent forms, allowing students to fabricate a prosthesis that is assembled with used components. This helps to control costs. Again, there is no charge to the amputee and no guarantee on the prosthesis.
Prosthetics Profession
Programs include training as a technician and courses leading up to a practitioner’s certificate or a Bachelor of Science degree. Once you have graduated and completed an internship you are eligible to take the board exams for certification. Licensure is a more recent requirement and is only required by a handful of states at this time.
Landmines
Journal of Mine Action
Mine Action Information Center
James Madison University
University Blvd., MSC 4003
Harrisonburg, VA 22807
U.S.A.
Telephone: (540) 568-2503
E-mail: hdic@jmu.edu
Myoelectric Response
Motion Control, Inc.
2401 South 1070 West, Ste. B
Salt Lake City, UT 84119-1555
U.S.A.
Telephone: (801) 978-2622
Toll Free: (888) MYO-ARMS (696-2767)
Fax: (801) 978-0848
E-mail: info@utaharm.com
Otto Bock HealthCare
3000 Xenium Lane North
Minneapolis, MN 55441
U.S.A.
Toll Free: (800) 328-4058
Canada: (800) 665-3327
Fax: (800) 962-2549
Canada Fax: (800) 463-3659
E-mail: info@ottobockus.com
Hosmer Dorrance Corporation
561 Division St.
Campbell, CA 95008
U.S.A.
Telephone: (408) 379-5151
Toll Free: (800) 827-0070
Fax: (408) 379-5263
E-mail: hosmer@hosmer.com
Books
- Ackerknect, Erwin H. A Short History of Medicine. Baltimore and London: The Johns Hopkins University Press. 1982.
- Gibson, Tom and Elizabeth Wilson et.al. The Advance of Orthotics: The History of Orthotics. Baltimore: The Williams and Wilkins Co. 1976.
- James W.V. and Orr J.F. “The Pringle and Kirk Four-Bar Crossed Linkage and the ‘Safety Knee’”. Prosthetics and Orthotics International. Apr. 1986, 10(1): 23-26.
- Kessler, Henry Howard. Cineplasty. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas. 1947.
- Lee, Denis C. “Tycho Brahe and His Sixteenth Century Nasal Prosthesis”. Plastic Reconstructive Surgery. 50: 337. Oct. 72.
- Mazet, R., Jr. and R. Churpurdia. “Pylon and Peg Legs”. Clinical Orthopedics and Related Research. 57: 117-136. Mar./Apr. 1968.
- Miroslaw V, Kingsley RP, Brian AG, Edward HE, Robin RG. Amputations and Prostheses. Second Edition. Eastbourne, England: Bailliere Tindall, 1986.
- Orr, Thomas G. Modern Methods of Amputation. St. Louis: The L.V. Mosby Company, 1926.
- Padula, Patricia A. and Lawrence W. Friedmann. “Acquired Amputation and Prostheses Before the Sixteenth Century”. Angiology. Feb. 1987, 38(2 PT 1): 133-141.
- Sanders, Gloria T. Lower Limb Amputation: A Guide to Rehabilitation. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis, 1985.
- Tosberg, William A. Upper and Lower Extremity Prosthetics. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas, 1962.
- Wilson, Bennett A., Jr. “The Modern History of Amputation Surgery and Artificial Limbs”. Orthopedic Clinics of North America. Vol. 3, No. 2 (July 1972): 267-285.
- Wirta RW, Taylor DR, Finley FR. “Pattern Recognition Arm Prosthesis: A Historical Perspective – A Final Report”. Bull Prosthetic Research. Fall 1978: 8-35.
Websites
Amputee Coalition of America
The Barr Foundation
Hanger Orthopedic Group
Also, please take a look at our Related Links and Information pages for more useful websites.