The Given Limb Foundation

The Given Limb Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with amputations or diminished use of their limbs.

In the U.S., over 600 military men and women who have put their lives on the line for their country have returned from the Iraq war as amputees. Approximately 1.9 million other Americans have lost a limb due to disease or injury. Worldwide, over 24,000 people are injured annually by landmines and other unexploded ordnance. While technological advancements have produced prosthetic legs that allow amputees to return to a normal life, advancements in arm prosthetic design lag far behind. It is not uncommon for an upper limb amputee to return home with a prosthetic device that is either too complicated to use or is inadequate to address the daily needs of life.

In the past, it has been the government’s need to care for the war-wounded that has been largely responsible for advancements in prosthetics. The military medical community today continues to pursue technological advancements in prosthetic design; current military medical and technological research programs advancing prosthetic design are the most aggressive in history. However, our research has shown that, despite these efforts, a large number of upper limb amputees who receive high-end prosthetics discard those devices within months in favor of lower tech options.

The “market” for upper limb prosthetics is too small to attract significant industry investment. Opportunities exist for creative solutions to these problems that can bridge the gap between the long-term promise of advanced arms and the utility and cost benefits offered by lower-tech solutions. In addition, millions of people around the world have lost limbs, and only a fraction of those have access to prosthetic services.

The Given Limb Foundation was formed to help address these issues. We seek to support academic research in prosthetic and adaptive device design; improvements in outreach, education and support of amputees and those with upper extremity injuries who may be facing amputation; and other efforts to improve the lives of amputees around the world.

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