Hanger Clinic and Inner Wheel USA
Turning Children’s Dreams into Realities
The Impact of Our Partnership
October 2004-December 2015
Myoelectric Boot Camp, Phoenix, AZ
Unique Ellington
Inner Wheel Grant Recipient
Myoelectric Boot Camp, Phoenix, AZ
In July of 2012, three Inner Wheel grant recipients met, with their families, to learn tips and trick from experienced myoelectic users, Carrie Davis and 16 year old 2011 Inner Wheel grant recipient Devanie Fernandez. Devanie lost her hand to cancer in 2010 and now wants to go to college to become an occupational therapist to work with children with upper limb differences.
Shared Giving: Camp No Limits
Donations
Prudavi
Prudavi is a nine year old boy who was born without his hand. He lives in Henderson, NV with his mother and is enjoying learning how to use his new arm.
From Prudavi’s mother:
Hello,
This is Bindu, Mother of Prudavi, for whom you worked on his myo electric hand. I do not know how to thank you all as you all have made my son so happy by giving him a very precious Christmas gift. He was so happy he was talking about this to all his friends, cousins etc. I sincerely thank you all for working on his hand. You made a dream come true for him. Thank you so much Sekhar, Steve, Carrie and Inner Wheel.
Bindu
Isabella
Isabella has been an Inner Wheel grant recipient since she was one year old. She is growing up with two hands and learning to do everything wearing her prosthesis. She is now a busy three year old and is being evaluated for a new prosthesis, as she has outgrown her first. She wears her prosthesis every day and uses it to play with her three siblings and perform all of her everyday tasks.
Isabella at 2.5 years old at Hanger Clinic for a check up.
Hailey
At 16 years old, Hailey, of Hoover, Alabama, lost all of her fingers in a car accident. She was an avid softball player before her accident and looks forward to all of the possibilities that her myoelectric hand will afford her in her future. She was featured in numerous T.V. interviews on ABC and Fox and is grateful for the generous donation by Inner Wheel. Her high tech, custom prosthesis would normally cost $100,000.00. Her mother, Judie, was quoted in an interview, “When I first saw it, I had no words. I was totally amazed.”
Hailey smiles for the news crew as she demonstrates her new myoelectric prosthesis. http://www.myfoxal.com/story/20221921/hoover-teen-fitted-with-high-tech-hand-after-accident
Fred
In July of 2012, 17 year old Fred was enjoying a swim with some friends in a Florida canal when he was suddenly attacked by an 11 foot gator. Fred made a split decision to sacrifice his arm to spare his life. In September, he was fit with a BeBionic myoelectric prosthesis compliments of Inner Wheel and Hanger Clinic and was featured on ABC’s Good Morning America. Fred is now 18 and has returned to doing all of the things he loves – namely – fishing. He is grateful for Inner Wheel and grateful for his life.
Angel
Angel is an eight year old boy from Fairfield, CA who enjoys playing soccer, riding his bike and playing with his friends. He was fit with his first prosthesis by upper extremity specialist Jim Caywood. Angel is making great progress and finds riding his bike much easier and more stable now that he can hold the handlebars with both hands.
Maria
Maria is an eight year old girl from Phoenix, AZ. She enjoys going to school, learning and playing with her friends. She was fit with her first myoelectric arm in 2012 and learned to tie her shoes for the first time within a few hours of wearing the arm.
Maria practices holding her cards as her prosthetist, William Yule, looks on
Arath
Arath is a very active six year old boy from Phoenix, AZ. His prosthetist knew he could master a myoelectric prosthesis, but his insurance would not cover it. Through the Inner Wheel Foundation, Arath was fit with his first myoelectric arm in July. His eyes lit up and his confidence soared when he operated his hand for the first time. He adorned the wrist with bracelets and giggled with glee as he saw his reflection in the mirror. Arath is extremely successful with his myo.
Brissia
When Brissia was asked if she’d like to have a myoelectric arm, she smiled and answered, “Yes.” At four years old, her pediatrician wasn’t confident that Brissia would understand how to control the device. Brissia, however, knew she could do it and proved to be right. She operates the terminal device without any problem at all. In fact, in a race to see who could get the most M&Ms in a cup in two minutes, using only the prosthesis, Brissia won!
Manuela
Though not a child, Manuela was a 2012 recipient of Inner Wheel funds, thanks to the generous consideration of the membership. Manuela dreamed of playing the cello, but could not afford to purchase an adaptive prosthesis to make her goals a reality. She was seeking funding and learned about the Inner Wheel Foundation and wrote a letter explaining her situation. Within days, the foundation agreed that it was important to help make Ms. Perez’s dreams a reality and she began the process of designing a custom device, with her Portland, OR prosthetist, to learn to play.
Unique
Unique is a beautiful, three year old girl from Pinole, CA. Her mother, seeking every opportunity available for her daughter, found Hanger Clinic and the Inner Wheel last year. Thanks to a mother’s dedication, Unique was fit with her first prosthesis and will grow up using two hands. This will benefit her in so many ways, including increasing the longevity of her sound hand and creating symmetry in her back, shoulders and overall posture.
Zayveon
Zayveon is a six year old from Milwaukee, WI who loves sports and playing video games. He was born with a below elbow, congenital limb difference and was fit with his first prosthesis in February of 2012. Many of the Inner Wheel members who met in Milwaukee for a conference I 2012 had the opportunity to meet with Zayveon and his family.
Cynthia
Cynthia was 3 when she experienced a traumatic left transradial amputation due to an accident with a meat grinder. She was initially fit with a cable operated prosthesis and used this for 1.5 years. She experienced much pain in using it and was not very functional with it, but Medicaid said it was not medically necessary for her to obtain a myoelectric prosthesis. Thanks to Inner Wheel funding, she was fit with a myoelectric prosthesis at age 5. She enjoys helping around the house with gardening and cleaning, likes doing crafts, and enjoys playing games and playing on the play ground with her other elementary school friends.
Ty
Ty is a sixteen year old boy who was born with a congenital transhumeral limb deficiency. He loves all sports, especially baseball and basketball. Ty has Pennsylvania Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance, but after a year worth of appealing, the insurance would not provide any type of electric devices. He was seen at the Pennsylvania office to be cast for his prosthesis as shown in the photo. Ty received his myoelectric prosthesis in April 2011 and returns for a follow-up in May 2011 to check his progress.
Aili
Aili is a seven year old girl who was born with a congenital transradial limb deficiency. She is very active and enjoys skiing, gymnastics, and drawing. Aili was fit with her myoelectric prosthesis in March 2011. She is pictured with Carrie Davis, Hanger’s AEP Coordinator who traveled to meet with Aili and provide assistance with her new prosthesis.
Devanie
Devanie was a thirteen year old female with osteosarcoma and on chemo for cancer in her arm, when a transradial amputation was performed. She was wearing a body powered hook and hand and hated it!!!! Devanie made custom sleeves in the middle of AZ summers to cover her prostheses to hide from shame and guilt and poor body image. She met Carrie, saw her amazing arm and the rest is history. She wears her myo full time with pride at school and is dating now that she is older. She rides jets skis and swims with her old body powered and everything else with her myo.
Victoria
Victoria was a little over one year old and was born with a right transradial limb deficiency. As an infant, she used a passive prosthesis. She consistently tries to use her limb deficient side as her dominant side and was demonstrating the strong desire to learn more complex bimanual activities as any other one year old would. Unfortunately, her insurance company did not deem a myoelectric prosthesis appropriate. Thanks to Inner Wheel funding, Victoria was fit with her first myoelectric prosthesis at the beginning of December 2009. She is a vibrant little girl, and with occupational therapy, she will be able to utilize this prosthesis optimally in no time.
Liam
Liam is an eleven year old boy with congenital limb absence, mother struggled not to fit him with a prosthesis as a kid and he rejected a body powered prosthesis at age nine. He went to Camp No Limits, where he met Carrie Davis and was intrigued by myoelectrics. We revaluated and refit with an ETD with Stars Wars fabric system. Patient is active hobbyist and computer gamer and builder. Uses the ETD to do all sorts of tasks at school and at home to build models, computers, toys etc.
Malyki
Laura
When Laura was a two-week old infant, an IV line in her arm caused a serious infection that resulted in amputation. Now, as a happy, healthy five year old girl, she enjoys playing T-ball, riding her bike with friends and painting the fingernails on her new prosthesis.
Quinn
Quinn lost his left arm above the elbow as a result of cancer. He is a sports fan and loves being active and outdoors, particularly roller blading. His myoelectric arm helps provide balance and stability so that he can continue to perfect his skills on his blades.
Emanuel
Emanuel was born with a partial hand and finding a prosthesis that would work for him was difficult. For ten years, he went without a prosthesis. His grandmother found Hanger Clinic and suggested his mother take him for an evaluation. They were thrilled to learn that Hanger Clinic and Inner Wheel could finally provide a functional solution. Today, Emanuel is an active 11 year old boy who loves soccer and riding his bike. His mom says, “Nothing stops him!”
Celia
Celia was born in 2007 a Left BE congenital amputee to Jennifer Flowers, Celia is a fun loving little girl. At the age of 5 she enjoys going to school, reading book, coloring and drawing. In her spare time she enjoys playing outside, taking swim and dance lessons. When Celia grows up she plans on becoming a Teacher. After battling with her insurance company for more than a year now, she has recently become the newest Inner Wheel Recipient. Celia and her family are truly grateful for all the help Inner Wheel has provided them.
Skyler
Skyler was born in 2000 with a left below elbow congenital limb deficiency. Known as the Bionic Man at school, you will often see Skyler with his YU-GI-OH cards in his Bebionic Hand. He enjoys playing the the YU-GI-OH tournaments and has become a pro at it. When Skyler is not playing in tournaments he remains a very active young man by mastering the skills of Korean Martial Arts by obtaining his black belt in Kook Sool Won. Skyler and his family are forever grateful to the ladies of Inner Wheel for helping him achieve his goals.
Nicholas
Nick was born in 1995 with a left below elbow limb deficiency. He was a long time passive prosthesis user but over the last few years was unable to utilize the device due to lack of function. After being denied several times by his insurance carrier and the assistance offered by Inner Wheel, Nick was fit with his myoelectric device in July of 2014. Since then he has graduated high school and is now enjoying his first year of college where he appreciates the function his new myoelectric device offers him.
Jacob
Hunter
Hunter is a 16-year old boy from Colorado, lost his arm in a shark attack off of the coast of North Carolina in June 2015. He is a talented and high-spirited Junior in high school who has an incredibly positive attitude. “There’s nothing I can really do except focus on the future,” he said. “I have no power over a shark biting me but I do have power over, like, what I do about it.” Thanks to the Inner Wheel USA Foundation, Hunter received a Bebionic myoelectric hand with an LTI electric elbow on December 18th, 2015 delivered by Jack Uellendahl.
Thank you for a very successful partnership