every year about 4,000 babies in the United States are born with some form of
United States are born with some form of
United States are born with some form of congenital limb loss it’s often due to a
congenital limb loss it’s often due to a
congenital limb loss it’s often due to a condition called amniotic band syndrome
condition called amniotic band syndrome
condition called amniotic band syndrome and trionic band syndrome is not due to
and trionic band syndrome is not due to
and trionic band syndrome is not due to genetics it’s not really caused by
genetics it’s not really caused by
genetics it’s not really caused by anything in particular
anything in particular
anything in particular it just happens the stigma of being born
it just happens the stigma of being born
it just happens the stigma of being born missing part of a limb can follow a
missing part of a limb can follow a
missing part of a limb can follow a child throughout their entire life and
child throughout their entire life and
child throughout their entire life and it can even change how their identity
it can even change how their identity
it can even change how their identity forms but fast-forward and these kids
forms but fast-forward and these kids
forms but fast-forward and these kids grow up to live normal lives and I want
grow up to live normal lives and I want
grow up to live normal lives and I want to share with you some of their
to share with you some of their
to share with you some of their incredible stories so in April
incredible stories so in April
incredible stories so in April I just gotten off a long flight and I’m
I just gotten off a long flight and I’m
I just gotten off a long flight and I’m sitting in a coffee shop talking to a
sitting in a coffee shop talking to a
sitting in a coffee shop talking to a mom and the dad about their experience
mom and the dad about their experience
mom and the dad about their experience raising their two sons and they told me
raising their two sons and they told me
raising their two sons and they told me all about it
all about it
all about it baseball games tough days at school all
baseball games tough days at school all
baseball games tough days at school all of the Legos they have a lot of Legos
of the Legos they have a lot of Legos
of the Legos they have a lot of Legos and they walked me back to what it was
and they walked me back to what it was
and they walked me back to what it was like when they saw the ultrasound with
like when they saw the ultrasound with
like when they saw the ultrasound with her first and second son and they saw
her first and second son and they saw
her first and second son and they saw him kick for the first time and they had
him kick for the first time and they had
him kick for the first time and they had so many questions would he grow up to
so many questions would he grow up to
so many questions would he grow up to have his dad’s compassion or his mom’s
have his dad’s compassion or his mom’s
have his dad’s compassion or his mom’s resilience and they started to imagine
resilience and they started to imagine
resilience and they started to imagine those first steps birthday cakes even
those first steps birthday cakes even
those first steps birthday cakes even graduation and the specialist came in
graduation and the specialist came in
graduation and the specialist came in and she told them you’re having a
and she told them you’re having a
and she told them you’re having a healthy baby boy and they were ecstatic
healthy baby boy and they were ecstatic
healthy baby boy and they were ecstatic but then her voice began to change and
but then her voice began to change and
but then her voice began to change and due to an amniotic band that had formed
due to an amniotic band that had formed
due to an amniotic band that had formed in the womb their son would be more in a
in the womb their son would be more in a
in the womb their son would be more in a missing part of his right arm and the
missing part of his right arm and the
missing part of his right arm and the family took a minute to really hear what
family took a minute to really hear what
family took a minute to really hear what the specialist was saying what would
the specialist was saying what would
the specialist was saying what would this mean for their son what would it
this mean for their son what would it
this mean for their son what would it change what would they do and the
change what would they do and the
change what would they do and the specialist continued and said from here
specialist continued and said from here
specialist continued and said from here you have two options do you still want
you have two options do you still want
you have two options do you still want to continue the pregnancy from before
to continue the pregnancy from before
to continue the pregnancy from before the moment this little boy was born
the moment this little boy was born
the moment this little boy was born people have been telling him that he’s
people have been telling him that he’s
people have been telling him that he’s broken at school
broken at school
broken at school growing up other kids would bully him
growing up other kids would bully him
growing up other kids would bully him and tease him to remind him that he’s
and tease him to remind him that he’s
and tease him to remind him that he’s not normal
not normal
not normal other parents would quietly whisper
other parents would quietly whisper
other parents would quietly whisper apologies to his mom when they would
apologies to his mom when they would
apologies to his mom when they would walk by but for this family their dreams
walk by but for this family their dreams
walk by but for this family their dreams for Zachary never wavered they knew that
for Zachary never wavered they knew that
for Zachary never wavered they knew that he could and that he would overcome any
he could and that he would overcome any
he could and that he would overcome any obstacle any challenge anything but for
obstacle any challenge anything but for
obstacle any challenge anything but for the boy
the boy
the boy it was hard the questions the doubts it
it was hard the questions the doubts it
it was hard the questions the doubts it really weighed on him and he was often
really weighed on him and he was often
really weighed on him and he was often asked what happened your arm and he
asked what happened your arm and he
asked what happened your arm and he simply respond without a smile and say I
simply respond without a smile and say I
simply respond without a smile and say I was born this way and these interactions
was born this way and these interactions
was born this way and these interactions have an incredible impact on forming a
have an incredible impact on forming a
have an incredible impact on forming a child’s identity not surprisingly
child’s identity not surprisingly
child’s identity not surprisingly children who aren’t afraid to go to
children who aren’t afraid to go to
children who aren’t afraid to go to school or interact with others do better
school or interact with others do better
school or interact with others do better having people in your life who routinely
having people in your life who routinely
having people in your life who routinely doubt whether or not you can handle
doubt whether or not you can handle
doubt whether or not you can handle something can destroy your confidence it
something can destroy your confidence it
something can destroy your confidence it can change what goals you run after and
can change what goals you run after and
can change what goals you run after and it can even keep you from achieving what
it can even keep you from achieving what
it can even keep you from achieving what you want to achieve these moments of
you want to achieve these moments of
you want to achieve these moments of shame leave kids asking the universal
shame leave kids asking the universal
shame leave kids asking the universal questions Who am I am i broken am i
questions Who am I am i broken am i
questions Who am I am i broken am i enough and these type of questions tend
enough and these type of questions tend
enough and these type of questions tend to drive parents to the conversation
to drive parents to the conversation
to drive parents to the conversation about prosthetics and butt prosthetics
about prosthetics and butt prosthetics
about prosthetics and butt prosthetics and access for children it’s still
and access for children it’s still
and access for children it’s still really complicated whether it’s due to
really complicated whether it’s due to
really complicated whether it’s due to high cost and a functional electric
high cost and a functional electric
high cost and a functional electric device can be well over fifty thousand
device can be well over fifty thousand
device can be well over fifty thousand dollars or the fact that doctors and
dollars or the fact that doctors and
dollars or the fact that doctors and insurance companies are a little
insurance companies are a little
insurance companies are a little hesitant because children grow so
hesitant because children grow so
hesitant because children grow so quickly
quickly
quickly can you imagine every time your
can you imagine every time your
can you imagine every time your nine-year-old outgrew their shoes you
nine-year-old outgrew their shoes you
nine-year-old outgrew their shoes you had to replace their expensive bionic
had to replace their expensive bionic
had to replace their expensive bionic arm that would really be a lot and
arm that would really be a lot and
arm that would really be a lot and because of this the standard for
because of this the standard for
because of this the standard for children’s prosthetic even today tends
children’s prosthetic even today tends
children’s prosthetic even today tends to be a cosmetic only device no function
to be a cosmetic only device no function
to be a cosmetic only device no function or perhaps a hook device you want to
or perhaps a hook device you want to
or perhaps a hook device you want to take a guess at what the rejection rates
take a guess at what the rejection rates
take a guess at what the rejection rates are for kids who do
are for kids who do
are for kids who do want to wear those kind of arms it’s
want to wear those kind of arms it’s
want to wear those kind of arms it’s high quite high and that’s what my team
high quite high and that’s what my team
high quite high and that’s what my team is working to change we think that we
is working to change we think that we
is working to change we think that we can use technology to be able to help
can use technology to be able to help
can use technology to be able to help everyone from kids to adults be able to
everyone from kids to adults be able to
everyone from kids to adults be able to tackle any challenge they have any dream
tackle any challenge they have any dream
tackle any challenge they have any dream that they want bionics are improving to
that they want bionics are improving to
that they want bionics are improving to the point where now artificial limbs can
the point where now artificial limbs can
the point where now artificial limbs can tackle all those challenges but it’s so
tackle all those challenges but it’s so
tackle all those challenges but it’s so much more than just about function turns
much more than just about function turns
much more than just about function turns out if you ask the kids it was never
out if you ask the kids it was never
out if you ask the kids it was never even about being able to pick things up
even about being able to pick things up
even about being able to pick things up let me help you picture it so you’re in
let me help you picture it so you’re in
let me help you picture it so you’re in the grocery store and you see someone
the grocery store and you see someone
the grocery store and you see someone walking over and you know that they’re
walking over and you know that they’re
walking over and you know that they’re gonna ask those awkward questions what
gonna ask those awkward questions what
gonna ask those awkward questions what happened to you was it an alligator and
happened to you was it an alligator and
happened to you was it an alligator and these are real questions that our Bionic
these are real questions that our Bionic
these are real questions that our Bionic kids have been asked it’s hard for
kids have been asked it’s hard for
kids have been asked it’s hard for anyone in that situation to talk about
anyone in that situation to talk about
anyone in that situation to talk about their experience from a position of
their experience from a position of
their experience from a position of strength but especially a child and if
strength but especially a child and if
strength but especially a child and if you’re wearing a heavy dull plastic like
you’re wearing a heavy dull plastic like
you’re wearing a heavy dull plastic like device the prosthetic has already
device the prosthetic has already
device the prosthetic has already started the conversation for you so we
started the conversation for you so we
started the conversation for you so we decided we would go in an entirely
decided we would go in an entirely
decided we would go in an entirely different direction and we use 3d
different direction and we use 3d
different direction and we use 3d printers to do it
printers to do it
printers to do it color confidence and expression this is
color confidence and expression this is
color confidence and expression this is Joe Holly airs show holly wore her
Joe Holly airs show holly wore her
Joe Holly airs show holly wore her custom creation on the New York Fashion
custom creation on the New York Fashion
custom creation on the New York Fashion Week runway she wanted to help promote
Week runway she wanted to help promote
Week runway she wanted to help promote inclusivity and some really cool fashion
inclusivity and some really cool fashion
inclusivity and some really cool fashion we use 3d printers to bring together
we use 3d printers to bring together
we use 3d printers to bring together these beautiful artistic designs and
these beautiful artistic designs and
these beautiful artistic designs and functional neural prosthetic engineering
functional neural prosthetic engineering
functional neural prosthetic engineering to give kids Ironman technology at a
to give kids Ironman technology at a
to give kids Ironman technology at a price that’s so low we can donate every
price that’s so low we can donate every
price that’s so low we can donate every device
we believe that it was never about
we believe that it was never about function it was always about kids
function it was always about kids
function it was always about kids believing that they are enough an
believing that they are enough an
believing that they are enough an expression helps them find it the reason
expression helps them find it the reason
expression helps them find it the reason that traditional prosthetics have such
that traditional prosthetics have such
that traditional prosthetics have such high rejection rates is not because
high rejection rates is not because
high rejection rates is not because children aren’t mature enough to handle
children aren’t mature enough to handle
children aren’t mature enough to handle them it’s because they’re too heavy they
them it’s because they’re too heavy they
them it’s because they’re too heavy they don’t have the right functionality and
don’t have the right functionality and
don’t have the right functionality and worse dull plastic feels like an apology
worse dull plastic feels like an apology
worse dull plastic feels like an apology for being broken so we decided at our
for being broken so we decided at our
for being broken so we decided at our kitchen table that our team would try to
kitchen table that our team would try to
kitchen table that our team would try to change all of that we designed for
change all of that we designed for
change all of that we designed for function and expression we even had the
function and expression we even had the
function and expression we even had the kids draw us pictures of what they
kids draw us pictures of what they
kids draw us pictures of what they wanted their Bionic arms to look like
wanted their Bionic arms to look like
wanted their Bionic arms to look like and they did not want it to look like
and they did not want it to look like
and they did not want it to look like gall plastic and then we got to work
gall plastic and then we got to work
gall plastic and then we got to work from the ground up 3d printing these
from the ground up 3d printing these
from the ground up 3d printing these beautiful creations that could grow with
beautiful creations that could grow with
beautiful creations that could grow with them over their their own growth spurts
them over their their own growth spurts
them over their their own growth spurts and now that same conversation in the
and now that same conversation in the
and now that same conversation in the grocery store has completely changed now
grocery store has completely changed now
grocery store has completely changed now people stop and they say that is such a
people stop and they say that is such a
people stop and they say that is such a cool arm how did you get it or how does
cool arm how did you get it or how does
cool arm how did you get it or how does it work and the change in that
it work and the change in that
it work and the change in that conversation can radically alter the
conversation can radically alter the
conversation can radically alter the development of a child’s identity so
development of a child’s identity so
development of a child’s identity so what does that look like for the kids
what does that look like for the kids
what does that look like for the kids well at school on superhero day Alex now
well at school on superhero day Alex now
well at school on superhero day Alex now dresses as himself
now that’s confidence he has the best
now that’s confidence he has the best school picture day of any kid right Alex
school picture day of any kid right Alex
school picture day of any kid right Alex tells us now that he wants to go to
tells us now that he wants to go to
tells us now that he wants to go to college he wants to be able to use
college he wants to be able to use
college he wants to be able to use technology to be able to help other
technology to be able to help other
technology to be able to help other people just like him and be able to
people just like him and be able to
people just like him and be able to tackle whatever dream they want when we
tackle whatever dream they want when we
tackle whatever dream they want when we first met Alex he was afraid to go to
first met Alex he was afraid to go to
first met Alex he was afraid to go to the grocery store because of all of
the grocery store because of all of
the grocery store because of all of those awkward conversations and what he
those awkward conversations and what he
those awkward conversations and what he had done to his identity what a
had done to his identity what a
had done to his identity what a transformation
transformation
transformation annie has been wearing her bionic arm
annie has been wearing her bionic arm
annie has been wearing her bionic arm for a while now and she loves the color
for a while now and she loves the color
for a while now and she loves the color and the expression it matches her cell
and the expression it matches her cell
and the expression it matches her cell phone case
phone case
phone case her and her yeti cup even her dress and
her and her yeti cup even her dress and
her and her yeti cup even her dress and he’s really wonderful she dreams of
he’s really wonderful she dreams of
he’s really wonderful she dreams of becoming a pediatric oncology nurse or a
becoming a pediatric oncology nurse or a
becoming a pediatric oncology nurse or a dolphin trainer she’s still deciding
dolphin trainer she’s still deciding
dolphin trainer she’s still deciding right now but it’s so clear that her
right now but it’s so clear that her
right now but it’s so clear that her empathy and compassion just overflows
empathy and compassion just overflows
empathy and compassion just overflows she’s already trying to encourage other
she’s already trying to encourage other
she’s already trying to encourage other kids just like her that there is a
kids just like her that there is a
kids just like her that there is a future and there are those dreams that
future and there are those dreams that
future and there are those dreams that they have that they should run after
they have that they should run after
they have that they should run after full-steam it’s really wonderful
full-steam it’s really wonderful
full-steam it’s really wonderful identity plays an enormous role in how
identity plays an enormous role in how
identity plays an enormous role in how we perceive the world what we do with
we perceive the world what we do with
we perceive the world what we do with our free time even the goals we set
our free time even the goals we set
our free time even the goals we set people with disabilities people with
people with disabilities people with
people with disabilities people with impairments rarely identify with the
impairments rarely identify with the
impairments rarely identify with the idea and the label of disability that
idea and the label of disability that
idea and the label of disability that label is projected by society and we all
label is projected by society and we all
label is projected by society and we all work exceptionally hard to prove to
work exceptionally hard to prove to
work exceptionally hard to prove to everyone else around us that we are
everyone else around us that we are
everyone else around us that we are enough and that starts as young as the
enough and that starts as young as the
enough and that starts as young as the kindergartner on the playground and it
kindergartner on the playground and it
kindergartner on the playground and it radically changes how we grow up how we
radically changes how we grow up how we
radically changes how we grow up how we feel and what we do
feel and what we do
feel and what we do so since starting to wear their Bionic
so since starting to wear their Bionic
so since starting to wear their Bionic arms kids like Zachary and Alex have
arms kids like Zachary and Alex have
arms kids like Zachary and Alex have seen incredible growth in their
seen incredible growth in their
seen incredible growth in their confidence in their grades at school and
confidence in their grades at school and
confidence in their grades at school and what they tell us about their dreams for
what they tell us about their dreams for
what they tell us about their dreams for the future
the future
the future they tell us now
they tell us now
they tell us now that they all want to go to college they
that they all want to go to college they
that they all want to go to college they all want to use technology for something
all want to use technology for something
all want to use technology for something more to impact their communities
more to impact their communities
more to impact their communities they envision themselves as fashion
they envision themselves as fashion
they envision themselves as fashion models engineers anything they can set
models engineers anything they can set
models engineers anything they can set their minds to and we believe them by
their minds to and we believe them by
their minds to and we believe them by reframing the challenge with technology
reframing the challenge with technology
reframing the challenge with technology and art we’ve helped unlock their secret
and art we’ve helped unlock their secret
and art we’ve helped unlock their secret identities an expression helps them get
identities an expression helps them get
identities an expression helps them get there now we need to reframe how we look
there now we need to reframe how we look
there now we need to reframe how we look at the idea of disability and change
at the idea of disability and change
at the idea of disability and change from a conversation of asking am i
from a conversation of asking am i
from a conversation of asking am i enough to one of being able to celebrate
enough to one of being able to celebrate
enough to one of being able to celebrate unique expression and differences and we
unique expression and differences and we
unique expression and differences and we want all of these kids to know that
want all of these kids to know that
want all of these kids to know that there truly are no limits thank you very
there truly are no limits thank you very
there truly are no limits thank you very much
”
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