In The News

Limbs of Love Donates $100K

Limbs of Love, Houston, Texas, skipped the chocolates this Valentine's Day and instead gave gifts of more than $100,000 worth of prosthetic devices to two teenage girls and one grandmother.

Limbs of Love founder Joe Sansone said on the organization's website, "When Limbs of Love was founded in 2006, it was our hope to donate our first limb on Valentine's Day. Unfortunately we just didn't have the resources to make this happen. But I never dreamed that on this date, two years later, we would be delivering over $100,000 worth of limbs to these three special ladies."

Sansone continued, "Unfortunately, many amputees are shocked when they discover that their insurance company doesn't pay for artificial limbs. Imagine the shock when hardworking, contributing members of society discover that even though they have been paying their ever-increasing health insurance premiums, they have no coverage for prosthetic devices."

That's what happened to the organization's first Valentine, 17-year-old Amanda McDaniel, who lost a leg to bone cancer and found out that her family's insurance covered only $2,500 for prosthetic care. Limbs of Love gave McDaniel the high-techprosthesis that may let the cheerleader and soccer player return to the activities she loves.

Sunny Chism, the second teen limb recipient, had been participating in beauty pageants with just one arm, but ARTech Laboratory, Midlothian, Texas, joined Limbs of Love in donating to prosthetic arm so cosmetically realistic that she was described as "stunned" when she first wore it.

The group's final recipient was Teresa Torrey, whose desire for a new limb wasn't just for herself. Though she used her new prosthetic leg to take her first step after more than a year without walking, her main motivation to get a new limb was to improve her chances of gaining custody of her grandchildren. The two-year-old and one-year-old are currently in foster care, according to Limbs of Love, and Child Protective Services (CPS) had told Torrey that she wasn't likely to gain custody of them if she was non-ambulatory with just one leg.

Torrey was quoted as saying, "I have two legs again, and now I have a better chance of having my grandchildren safe at home. They can't tell me I can't keep up with my grandkids now!"

For more information, call 713.747.7647 or visit www.limbsoflove.com

Airborne Amputees