Spotlight On
October 1, 2004
Organization Name: A Leg To Stand On
Year Founded: 2002
Contact Person: Claire Mackay
Address: 267 Fifth Avenue, Suite 301, New York, NY 10016
Phone: (212) 683-8805
Fax: (212) 683-8813
E-mail: cmackay@altso.org
Website Address: http://www.altso.org
Mission:
To transform the lives of children with limb disabilities in developing countries by offering them the physical capabilities to access the opportunities and self-esteem earned through education, work and mobility.
Background:
There are an estimated 200 million disabled children living in developing countries, 70% of which could be rehabilitated. It is estimated that less than 3% of disabled children in developing countries have access to health care of any kind, and 97% of disabled children are denied even the most rudimentary rehabilitation services. The objective of A Leg To Stand On is to level the playing field for disabled children in developing countries by efficiently channeling global resources to help correct leg and arm disabilties and improve local medical knowledge through the teaching and skill and knowledge transfer of specialized rehabilitative surgical techniques.
Current Programs:
The activities of A Leg To Stand On can best be described in a 3-T approach:
- Training: local doctors, prosthetists and rehabilitation specialists will receive training in advanced orthopaedic surgical techniques, prosthetic design and rehabilitation best practices.
- Treatment: poor, disabled children will receive evaluations, corrective surgery, prosthetic limbs and/or orthoses, and physical therapy all free of charge.
- Therapy: by organizing the post-operative rehabilitative activities and maintaining accurate and reliable medical records, health professionals will be able to provide continued high quality care.
In February of 2003, A Leg To Stand On partnered with the Indian Government of Gujarat State and local medical professionals from Ahmedabad Civil Hospital to open A Leg To Stand On clinic, Ahmedabad. The day of inauguration for the clinic 32 children were evaluated by our team and 82 children were registered to receive services by the end of the week. The clinic is running full time providing prosthetics and orthotics, physical therapy and corrective orthopaedic surgery to needy children. A Leg To Stand On will also launch its first Fellowship Training Program bringing local Indian medical professionals over to the US to train for one month with our partners at NYU-HJD and Mass. General and then will be sending back US medical professionals to help implement skills learned with resources available in India.
Funding Needs:
A Leg To Stand On needs grants that will help us expand our clinic programs to other areas of need within India and to other developing countries. A little funding goes a long way in developing countries and impacts many lives. As little as $25,000 can launch a clinic.
Every month, the "Spotlight On" highlights the activities
of a different 501(c)3 nonprofit organization located
in the tri-state region (NY, NJ, or CT). The selection
of organizations for the "Spotlight On" is based
on criteria such as programmatic interests, geographic
focus, and size, to ensure the broadest possible
representation of the region's nonprofit sector. While the Foundation Center strives to showcase the diverse range of organizations in the area, selection for "Spotlight On" does not constitute an endorsement by the Foundation Center.
If you'd like to see your NPO in the "Spotlight,"
please use this submission
form to send us a profile of your organization.
Or e-mail a description of your organization,
following the above format, to nyweb@foundationcenter.org
with "Spotlight Submission" in the subject line.
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