Up to 20 patients will enter Amputee Center in a wheelchair and walk out on their new limbs

The Amputee and Prosthetic Center announced today that it has established a new organization, Limbs of Love, dedicated to providing assistance to amputee patients who are financially constrained and in-need of prosthetics. Limbs of Love utilizes the time, skills and resources of medical professionals and manufacturers who receive no remuneration in an effort to improve the overall quality of life for amputees. Through the support of The Amputee and Prosthetic Center, prosthetic manufacturers, and medical personnel from the Houston area, Limbs of Love will be donating as many as 20 prosthetic limbs with a value of over $250,000 to those who have suffered the loss of a limb and have been previously turned away.

Each year 150,000 people join the ranks of amputees in the United States alone. Modern medicine and cutting edge prosthetic technology have enabled amputees to return to surprisingly active lifestyles. However, prosthetic care is quite expensive and many patients lack the financial resources to obtain an artificial limb. These amputees are forced to sacrifice their freedom and independence, and are often never able to perform everyday tasks again.

Unfortunately, due to the high cost of artificial limbs, local prosthetic companies are unable to provide free limbs for many amputees. Many of those that have suffered the loss of a limb have lost their jobs because they lack the funds for a prosthesis. After experiencing the frustration of breaking the devastating news to patients and explaining that because of lack of insurance coverage they will never walk again, Joe Sansone, CEO of The Amputee and Prosthetic Center, decided to fight back.

"As a prosthetic limb provider, I just felt sick being forced to continually explain to amputees that we were unable to assist them with the cost of a prosthetic limb, and that they may never walk again," said Joe Sansone. "Through Limbs of Love, we can provide prosthetic limbs that offer a new sense of confidence for amputees to move on with their lives. Health insurance will no longer be the determining factor in who will walk again, who will have a job, or who will be able to care for their family as a result of this organization."

The stories abound of those in need; from the mother who had trouble caring for her children without a prosthesis, the elderly gentleman who had his limb stolen with his car, or the vibrant teenager that lost both of his legs when he was hit by a train.