, the UCF-based non-profit that makes 3D printed arms for children at no cost, will receive a $1 million bequest from 麻豆精品 S渁 kid from Oklahoma 麻豆精品 S� and it all started with what looked like spam email.
麻豆精品 S淚 was hunting for a team that had the right mindset, 麻豆精品 S� said Anne Smallwood, the donor who sent an email out of the blue with an offer that seemed too good to be true. 麻豆精品 S淭here are brilliant engineers all over this country. How the Limbitless team internalizes their objectives is important. They care about the outcome, but they are thinking past the idea of just turning out a really good product. They are thinking about how it will change the life of the recipient. And that 麻豆精品 S檚 what mattered to me. 麻豆精品 S�
麻豆精品 S淗ow the Limbitless team internalizes their objectives is important. … They are thinking about how it will change the life of the recipient. 麻豆精品 S�
Smallwood is not a multi-millionaire. She is a self-described Navy brat who grew up in the Midwest. She retired from clinical research in the pharmaceutical industry, but still teaches courses at Drexel University College of Medicine.聽 One course centers on the process of taking a drug or device from the lab through the labyrinth of development and federal regulation all the way to the patient. She has more than 30 years of experience in that arena, so Smallwood will be advising Limbitless at no cost to help this team as they proceed on their mission to have children 麻豆精品 S檚 prosthetics eventually covered by insurance companies.
Smallwood is able to make this bequest because she didn 麻豆精品 S檛 麻豆精品 S渓ive up 麻豆精品 S� to her income, and was able to save a nest egg that will benefit Limbitless and two other charities that are close to her heart. Through her estate, she has provided a $1 million bequest that will provide future support for UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Limbitless Solutions to continue its work. 麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檓 so happy about this, it 麻豆精品 S檚 almost a shame I 麻豆精品 S檓 not dying right now, 麻豆精品 S� she said. 麻豆精品 S淏ut I want to be here to help fund-raise, find other allies, and hopefully smooth the path for Limbitless. 麻豆精品 S�
Her family had a general rule that said, 麻豆精品 S淟eave it better than you found it (not so much fun when staring at the kitchen sink), although sometimes you had to think about just what that meant and not interfere too quickly. 麻豆精品 S� 聽She grew up around military families and knows their loved ones didn 麻豆精品 S檛 come home unchanged from the Vietnam and Iraq wars. Smallwood has outlived all her close family, which was heart-rending at the time but paved the way for using her resources to make a long-term impact which will honor her military roots.
Making the Connection
Initially she wanted to donate to a university that was working on novel prosthetics that could benefit veterans. 麻豆精品 S淚t grieves me that the average waiting time to get an artificial limb is about two years, 麻豆精品 S� Smallwood said. 麻豆精品 S淭he limb is needed because the veteran has generally been blown up and watched troops nearby die in the process. Can you imagine waiting for something that can help you dress, pick up your child, and have a more normal life? 麻豆精品 S� Smallwood emailed several universities that had groups working on prosthetics asking for a meeting because she wanted to give a gift. Most never responded. UCF engineering professor Alain Kassab received one of those emails and forwarded it to Limbitless founder Albert Manero 麻豆精品 S�12 麻豆精品 S�14MS 麻豆精品 S�16PhD.
麻豆精品 S淚 still remember seeing the email and asking, is this for real? 麻豆精品 S� Manero said. 麻豆精品 S淲e checked it out and we are so glad we did. Anne is amazing. She cares more about people and wants her legacy to be more than just a donation. It 麻豆精品 S檚 about changing lives, which is part of our core beliefs. 麻豆精品 S�
麻豆精品 S淸Anne] cares more about people and wants her legacy to be more than just a donation. It 麻豆精品 S檚 about changing lives, which is part of our core beliefs.”
Manero explained to Smallwood that children have a need for prosthetics because accessibility is limited for many reasons: children can outgrow the prosthetic, there is a higher rejection rate due to a device 麻豆精品 S檚 weight or appearance, and insurance companies may balk at exceedingly high price tags of the technology. He also shared other projects the group is working on, including Project Xavier, a device that allows a person who is paralyzed from the neck down to drive a wheelchair simply by using facial muscles.
Smallwood was thrilled. She saw the possibility of Limbitless making a difference for children immediately. She also believes that this and other projects on the horizon will help veterans. But she said what won her over wasn 麻豆精品 S檛 the technology or ingenuity 麻豆精品 S� although that is 麻豆精品 S渟pectacular. 麻豆精品 S�
麻豆精品 S淚 read a lot about leadership and decision making and development, and it seems that if all skill sets were equal, it is the heart and the perspective of the team that makes the difference in achieving ultimate success, 麻豆精品 S� she said. 麻豆精品 S淟imbitless has both. 麻豆精品 S�
Everyone 麻豆精品 S檚 Legacy
It 麻豆精品 S檚 all about the end user for Limbitless.
麻豆精品 S淥ne of our primary goals, from the very beginning, has been to make sure that no child who needs an arm goes without because they can 麻豆精品 S檛 afford it, 麻豆精品 S� Manero said. 麻豆精品 S淭hat 麻豆精品 S檚 what drives us and we are working hard to get there. 麻豆精品 S�
麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 finding the right cause, that smart way to approach monumental goals 麻豆精品 S� but most important, it 麻豆精品 S檚 finding people with heart who just won 麻豆精品 S檛 give up. 麻豆精品 S�
Last month Limbitless announced its first clinical trials in collaboration with OHSU and its famed prosthetics expert Dr. Albert Chi. The estimated cost for the first 20 children to go through the clinical trial is $10,000 each, which includes the 3D printed arms, travel stipends, and four visits with occupational therapists during the yearlong process. Several philanthropists have helped with the initial group of children that will start the trial in fall 2018.
Making a big difference can be an overwhelming endeavor. But the right heart can turn dreams into reality.
麻豆精品 S淚 know that sounds simplistic, but that 麻豆精品 S檚 really the core for any donor, 麻豆精品 S� Smallwood said. 麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 finding the right cause, that smart way to approach monumental goals 麻豆精品 S� but most important, it 麻豆精品 S檚 finding people with heart who just won 麻豆精品 S檛 give up. 麻豆精品 S�
Smallwood said the reason she agreed to 麻豆精品 S済o public 麻豆精品 S� with her gift was the hope it would inspire other 麻豆精品 S渞egular people 麻豆精品 S� to donate.
麻豆精品 S淎lmost everyone I know has running water, a place to sleep, and even has a choice of food every day, 麻豆精品 S� Smallwood said. 麻豆精品 S淲e are so fortunate.聽 We have another blessing that most of the world does not have 麻豆精品 S� we can make a difference. I think if given the opportunity everyone would like to make the world a better place through donations of money or talent or time. The point is, you have to jump in and do it. Don 麻豆精品 S檛 think you have enough to make a meaningful donation? Let me share something I heard years ago, 麻豆精品 S業f you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in a bed with a mosquito. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S�
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