9-year-old girl becomes Disney royalty
15th July 2024
15th July 2024
Last month, 9-year-old Elisa Ferreira from Atlanta thought she was traveling for a 12-month Hero Arm check up appointment, but it turned into an unforgettable Disney experience for the whole family.
We knew Elisa and her family were huge Disney fans, so we worked with the team at Disney to create a custom Princess Tiana Hero Arm cover fit for royalty.
When Elisa finished her check-in, she and her family were whisked away to a once-in-a-lifetime VIP Disney experience. Elisa enjoyed a Disney Princess transformation experience and two days out at the Disney World Resort for the whole family.
The celebration didn’t end there, Elisa also attended an exclusive Disney soiree and was one of the first people to ride the new Tiana’s Bayou Adventure attraction in Walt Disney World® Resort, before its official re-opening to the public.
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It was an amazing time and they made Elisa feel very special, during our trip we also got the meet Emily and just confirmed all Open Bionic staff is just exceptional in all their clinics.
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Emily Shannon, who is an Open Bionics clinician, delivered Elisa’s new look and performed her check-in. Emily said: “We are all so happy to be able to work with Disney to deliver these magical moments for our patients. We want our Hero Arm users to know that their limb difference is their superpower and plays a part in what makes them special. Over the years we have been so grateful to be able to surprise Hero Arm users with trips to red carpet events, movie premieres, backstage experiences, and meeting Disney and Hollywood talent (remember that time we got to meet James Cameron and Mark Hamil?!).”
“I know our users love this collaboration and the demand for us to create more Disney inspired Hero Arms is high.”
Elisa was first fitted with the Hero Arm a year ago at our Denver clinic, and loved the style and function the device offered.
“My daughter had an amazing time at the Denver location. The staff truly cares for you and because Elisa was named the youngest Unstoppable girl scout award earned and has been wearing her arm for around a year now, Open Bionics wanted to create a surprise for her! They flew us out to their Orlando location where they surprised Elisa with a one-of-a-kind Disney design! We’re a huge Disney family and Elisa was thrilled, she was the first to see and have the new Disney cover. “ commented Nathalie, Elisa’s mum.
“They even arranged for Disney to take us to their park for the day, ride the new attraction on a VIP preview and gave Elisa lots of Disney gifts. It was an amazing time and they made Elisa feel very special, during our trip we also got the meet Emily and just confirmed all Open Bionic staff is just exceptional in all their clinics.” continued Nathalie.
Children with limb differences often face challenges, including feeling self-conscious about their limb difference. Since 2018, Disney has made artwork available to Open Bionics, in order for them to create empowering designs that encourage children to see their limb difference as their own superpower.
If you’re looking for a functional prosthesis for your child that combines both form and function, register your interest below, and if you have a request for a Disney character pls let us know!
