Report of HANDA Mobile Prosthesis Workshop 2014

AnnualReport of HANDA Mobile Prosthesis Workshop 2014

Summary:

In2014, the prosthesis team carried out its work in 6 provinces (Guangdong,Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Sichuan and Fujian). This year we helped 151 peopleto get their prosthesis and there were 164 prosthesis in total. (13 people getprosthesis for both of their legs, 3 of them had their amputation from thighs.)Maintained more than 440 old prostheses.

2. Project area

In2014 we provided services for 51 villages in 6 provinces. Besides from the 36villages that we used to visit in the previous years, we also started our workin 15 new villages in Guangdong (9), Yunnan (2), Guizhou (3) and Sichuan (1).

3. Project result:

In2014, the team set up its record that the number of the service area,beneficiary and production of prosthesis has reached to the highest point sincethe commencement of this project.

4. ImplementedActivities

Upon request, the team traveled to eachvillage to give careful examination to each individual, they even drove longdistance to remote mountainous area in Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan. Produced101 new prostheses in new villages, maintained the old prostheses for 200people, followed up visits to total 500 people who are wearing prosthesis makesure that the prosthesis they suitable. In total, the team travelled to 51villages, produced 164 new prostheses for 164 people (among them 13 were bothlegs amputated and 3 got thigh amputated).

Morethan 85% of whom wear prosthesis know how to use and maintain properly

Wetrained those who use prosthesis how to use it properly, no matter they are newto prosthesis or they have been using it for years. We advised them to learnfrom each other and exchange ideas. We also suggested those who have usedprosthesis before to teach the ones who are new to it. We hope they can fix thesmall problems that can occur due to daily usage, we also advised those who areexperienced with prosthesis to help those who don't have the experiences. Thiscan lessen the maintenance from our side and make our work more efficient.

Manyamputees have said:”Those who live in leprosy villages without legs are themost suffered people. By making a proper artificial limb, HANDA is here tobring us good days. We can now do many things on our wishlist without askingtoo much for help.”

Somepeople affected by leprosy have been participating in different kinds of socialactivities after standing up on their own feet. Chen Ai from Huidong travelledto Damou, Zhongshan to join the chess competition held by HANDA this year, aswell as Chen Jinbiao and Zhang Enyuan from Kaiping. ZhengMeiqiang fromLianjiang also said proudly:”Once upon I don’t have any firewood to burn. Now Ican wear the limb to go uphill. See! They are mine!” Once stumbling at everystep, Chen Xier can raise his own backyard chickens now.

5. Challenges &Obstacles faced by the Project

1.Due to variations and ignorance of future possibilities to receive prosthetictreatment during amputations, stumps are often either too long or short forprosthesis. Along with a lack of treatment knowledge, the hammering, abducentor hyperextended wounds as well as tendon contracture would raise thedifficulty of fitting the limb, difficult to reach a proper walking posture.

2. The aging trend & shrinking number ofpeople affected by leprosy gradually lead to a decline in physicalrehabilitation appeals, with fewer demands in protective & assistivedevices as one phenomenon. Furthermore, due to the old age and severedisabilities such as deformity or numbness of people, the demands in techniqueskill and quality of training would be relatively high.

Beneficiary Stories:

The World at His Feet-- Zhou Guanghwa

InJuly 2014, our project team drove more than 2,000km to Nayong County, HuajieCity, Guizhou Province. Here we found Zhou Guanghwa, a person affected byleprosy who had to crawl and kneel on living 13 years after amputation. Theleprosy sequelae made him pay countless effort, even both legs at expense, forbasic survival. Both physical pain and social discrimination overcasttedshadows on his life. If he had an artificial limb, he could stand up and walk…If he had an artificial limb, he could cook and wash clothes on himself… If hehad an artificial limb, we shall not look upon such a vacant stare…

Evenour 2,000km journey is only committed to fit prosthesis for one person, butwhen Guanghwasaid:”I can’t imagine wearing this (artificial limb) to get standup and walk in my lifetime.” It soon rejuvenates us from fatigue. Sometimes thetrue meaning in our work is beyond calculations of quality, quantity, cost orefficiency, it’s all about those who need us.

Thereare tens of similar leprosy villages in Guizhou Province, thousands in thewhole country. Throughout the hidden corners, an enormous number of amputatedpeople affected by leprosy, 120,120, are having their hard-fought survival. AndHANDA is striving to help them...

Li Youlu: I can walk on stairs now!

My name is LuYoulu. I’m 54 years old. I had a bad fall when I was in the fifth grade ofprimary school. My arms grew thinner and thinner after that. My family took meto several hospitals but even the doctors could not explain that. They said itmight be leprosy so I was sent to Longtantian for leprosy treatment. Until2005, five doctors from other countries visited Longtantian and examined mecarefully. I was then diagnosed with leprosy.

I had to letmy left foot cut off, in 2008, for serious ulcers. In the next year, my rightfoot was cut off, too, for dislocation. Since that I had to live in awheelchair. At first, I could hardly do anything, but later I got used to it.In 2011, Father Roberto came to see me at the center and put on a pair ofprostheses. I felt good with prostheses on. I could walk again and work in thefields. However two or three years later, my legs turned thinner. I started tofeel my prostheses heavier and increasingly uncomfortable. Even though I put oncouples of socks it was still hard to fix them on. I had to use the wheelchairagain.

Mr. Li in the wheelchair

The other day,Meizi and Xiao Yuan from HANDA came to Longtantian. They examined our hands andfeet. I learnt that HANDA is an organization of us, for us people affected withleprosy, because some fellows in Xiaoshuitang leprosy village told us aboutHANDA a lot, saying they were quite comfortable with HANDA’s prostheses. That’swhy we got in touch with HANDA and asked them if they could come installprostheses for us.

With prostheses, climbing up stairs will be easiernow.

Today, Mr.Yuan installed prostheses for me. I felt quiet at ease. I have changed fourpairs of prostheses before, either too heavy or too loose (you have to fastenthem with bandages). Now I have this pair of really good prostheses thanks toMr. Yuan. Taking stairs won’t be a problem at all! I can say goodbye towheelchair!

Mr. Li with prostheses

We are luckyenough. Many come to us sharing happiness. I hope that I can go out more andshare our luck and happiness with others outside, too. I feel that thePrefecture Government is taking good care of us, so I want to go out and seewhat it is like. I also want to visit the capital city Kunming and HANDA’soffice, too. You are all very good and kind people. Good people deserve to knowhow others respect and love them. Doctors here always say that one should dogood things, and that they should love themselves, love others, even thehaters. I want to go to the March 11 activities, too. It is the very day thatwe play and share happiness with people like us.

Notes:

On June 24,2014, the Mobile Prostheses Project travelled in Yunnan. After traveling twodays, over 1,400 kms from the city of Guangzhou, the team arrived at theLongtantian leprosy center in Shiping County, Yunnan. Prosthesis technicianscast molds and made, install and adjust 11 prostheses for 10 villagers. On June28, the team drove to Luoxianguang leprosy center in Xiangyun County andchanged new prostheses for three villagers. Among these 13 leprosy villagers,there were two using prostheses for the first time. It’s good to see them allstand up and walk on their feet happily. Uncle Tang Yongquan might be thehappiest. He has an extremely short and thick stump which is also in a shape ofhammer. No prosthesis maker had ever made him suitable prosthesis. He said hewanted to stand up and walk again. Our prosthesis technician checked on Mr.Tang’s lower leg and tailored a suitable prosthesis for him. Uncle Tan hadfinally realized his dream to stand up and walk!

Mr. Tang as an extremely shortand thick stump which is also in a shape of hammer. No one had ever made himsuitable prosthesis.

Mr. Tangstands up on his feet again

The prosthesis technician is making a mold

When we left Longtantian, ninevillagers, standing on prostheses, sang a song to express their gratitude tous…We also wanted to say “thank you” to them, too, for their optimism andstrong faith has been such a strong inspiration to us. That makes our workmeaningful. We wish them all the best!

Finance Statement:

Pleasekindly refer to the attached finance summary.

Acknowledgement:

We deeply aware that without your generouscontribution, we wouldn’t have done such work, on behalf of our members, pleaseaccept our heartfelt thanks to your support.

Let'swork together to enhance the living standard and quality of affected by leprosyin China!

Yourssincerely,

Dr.Michael Chen

GeneralSecretary

HANDA Rehabilitation & Welfare Association

Beneficiary namelist: