Welcome back to part two of our chat with quad amputee and double Hero Arm user Torie Mugo. If you missed the first part of the interview, please visit the Q&A here. A few months ago, Torie was fitted with two custom Hero Arms at the Open Bionics Denver, Colorado clinic after losing all her limbs to sepsis. Each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at least 1.7 million adults in the US develop sepsis. Torie fought her battle with sepsis and won. Now, she’s using her experience to better her life and help others. We had the opportunity to chat with Torie about her journey thus far, and this time we’ll dive into more detail on Torie’s hospital and recovery experience, rounding off with how she is now using her time and energy to volunteer to help others.
Q: Welcome back Torie! Please remind our readers where you are from and a bit of background.
A: I was born in Nairobi, Kenya, and I’m 42 years old. I moved to the US at 19 and went to college for a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a masters in international business.
Q: You’ve had your Hero Arms for a while now. How are you getting on with them? What are some ways you’ve put them to use?
A: My Hero Arms have improved my efficiency in a lot of ways! When I’m traveling, my suitcase is easy to hold. I no longer need to remember to bring my eating aid. Drinking from a cup is easier and comfortable, especially when liquids are hot or cold. Overall, picking things up is easier, even simple things like running my fingers through my hair. I can’t wait to continue to discover what else I can do with them. So far, I’m very grateful.
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Overall, picking things up is easier, even simple things like running my fingers through my hair
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Q: For those just now reading, can you share how you became limb different?
A: Four years ago, I got pneumonia which turned septic. Unfortunately, I ended up in a coma for a month. I went through ecmo (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation), life support, and I had a trachea inserted because my lungs failed.
Q: I imagine going through that initially was very scary and difficult.
A: It was hard for me and my entire family. My parents didn’t live here, and I had a three-year-old and my auntie here with me. It looked like I wasn’t going to make it, they had me only at 2% that I would make it, and the doctors needed my parents to be here.
Q: Unimaginable. When did things begin to show signs of improvement?
A: My lungs showed signs of improvement after 4 weeks, so I was taken off life support but kept on the trachea so that my lungs could build up more strength.
Q: How was it decided that amputation was necessary?
A: Because of the ecmo, my hands and legs didn’t get blood circulation and were necrotic. Ecmo takes blood out of certain systems to oxygenate vital organs, so there was no way my limbs would have recovered. I was just happy to be alive. We waited to amputate because my body needed to be stable enough to withstand the operations.
Q: Can you dive into the aftermath and your initial recovery process?
A: Being in the hospital for three months and having someone always there to watch in case something was to happen was a change. It was nerve racking at first because my lungs and heart were weakened by the whole ordeal. Moving from one spot to another was a challenge.
Q: Did you do any type of therapy or training?
A: I had to do my own physical therapy because I couldn’t afford insurance at the time. That was a rough position because my thought was “when I leave the hospital, then what?” A friend put me in contact with an NGO (non-governmental organization), but the process was slow and needed board approval. I was told the earliest I could do therapy with them was six months after I was discharged, so I thought: “what do I do? Stay home and do nothing?” My solution was buying stretch bands from Amazon, working out my arms and my legs every day.
Q: What motivated you to keep pushing through?
A: I remember looking at a collage of pictures my family had made, and I just wanted to run again. I was an avid athlete before all this happened, so that was all I wanted to get back to. When I told that to my parents, their response was “one step at a time.” But my focus was if I could run again, I’d be okay.
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I just wanted to run again…my focus was if I could run again, I’d be okay
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Q: Was this also the point where you considered prosthetics may help you?
A: I got my first prosthetics in July, but again, no physical therapy yet. But I told my dad “I am going to walk.” My dad was so proud the moment I first stood up, for me to see the smile on his face was great. My prosthetist told me to just stand on them and wear them every day, that way I’d get used to them. By the end of the month I was fitted with leg prosthetics, I was walking on my own. It was all mind over matter!
Q: What came next for you?
A: That fall, I participated in a sepsis run event in Colorado. I ended up walking with the runners at the end portion of the 5K! It was amazing because to find myself in that type of environment encouraged me to keep pushing on. From there, I got running blades through a grant program – Challenge Athletes Foundation. They offer grants for those who cannot afford adaptive sport equipment.
Q: What other activities have you started participating in?
A: I do volunteer work, Limb Preservation Foundation is a great group. We are doing a golf event this month and I’m on the committee that’s putting that on. It’s exciting! If anyone calls me for any event, I go. I started a sepsis support group at my hospital for those who may be facing a similar situation as I did.
Final thoughts: Torie, your journey is one of overcoming challenges, and pursuing passions before sepsis. We are proud to see that you’ve begun to reassimilate and volunteer to help others, as well as use your Hero Arms to do the little things people may take for granted. We can’t wait to see what you do next.
If you are interested in trialing a Hero Arm for free, be sure to click on the link below to begin your bionic journey!
The Hero Arm uses myoelectric sensors which detect underlying muscular contractions generated from specific muscle groups in the arm. These are then amplified and converted into intuitive and proportional bionic hand movements. Each Hero Arm is custom-built for optimal comfort, and fits like a glove.
In the United States, a top leading cause of upper-limb amputation is related to trauma. This can stem from accidents, more specifically, agricultural accidents. Not only can these instances be traumatic for those unfortunately involved, but they also spell a shift in how daily life is lived, learning to adapt, and overcoming new challenges. Open Bionics exists to amplify the stories of those living with limb difference and provide them with care & support, whether they may be new or have been living with it for a long time. This week, we had the pleasure of chatting with Conor, a farmer who recently lost his left arm and is in the process of getting a Hero Arm through the Open Bionics Denver clinic.
Q: Can you tell us about yourself, your background, and hobbies?
A: I am 27 years old, and I’m from Northwest Kansas, out in the middle of nowhere. I usually tell people that our nearest Walmart supermarket is about an hour and a half away. I work on the farm with my dad, grandpa, and wife – that does take up most of our time. My wife and I have two kids, both under the age of three, and if we aren’t working on the farm, we spend time with them.
Q: What kind of animals do you have on your farm?
A: We raise cow-calf pairs, so we breed cows and then sell the babies once they reach maturity age. We have a couple of horses, working dogs that help us in the pastures with the cows, and one duck—which does whatever she wants.
Q: Pivoting into how you became limb different, are you comfortable sharing how your accident occurred and how you’ve taken steps on your recovery journey so far?
A: Yeah—so, the accident happened last December, I was just working on a piece of farming equipment, it happened to turn on while my hand was in the way, so that’s how I lost my hand. We rushed to our small-town hospital, and they did the best that they could to help but ended up flying me to Kansas City – KU Medical Center.
Q: What steps were taken at KU to help?
A: They tried twice to reattach the hand, both times were unsuccessful. The first time they tried, it lasted for a week, so we thought we were in the clear, but it started to go backwards. Blood was getting to the hand but wasn’t leaving it. The second try only lasted 16 hours, and so we decided on amputation.
Q: And what did the aftercare and rehabilitation look like after you went back home?
A: I just ended up meeting with my local family doctor for the recovery. I’ve had a few telehealth meetings with them, just because they are five hours away. It’s much easier to do telehealth.
Q: I’m sure it’s been a challenging time to assimilate and learn how to do things adaptively. Has your doctor put you through occupational therapy or other ways to learn how to adapt to life with one hand?
A: It’s kind of new to small-town Kansas so they’re learning right along with me. I haven’t done any occupational therapy; I’ve just tried to go back to the way life was before the accident and just adapted. As my healing has progressed, I’ve started using my arm more and more. It took about 4-6 weeks to fully go back to using it once the stitches came out.
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I’ve just tried to go back to the way life was before the accident and just adapted. As my healing has progressed, I’ve started using my arm more and more
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Q: Did you try any prosthetics during this time?
A: We had been going through insurance and I had a body powered prosthesis because that’s all they would cover. We tried a different prosthetics company, but the insurance denied it, and denied our appeal. The body powered – I hate the thing – I’ve used it maybe four hours total. I just feel very lethargic using it, with the way the straps are situated.
Q: When did Open Bionics come into the journey for you? How did you learn about us and what made you decide the Hero Arm is what you wanted?
A: It was my wife who found Open Bionics, we were getting quoted ridiculous numbers for myoelectric arms, so we began searching for grants that different farm companies put on to help farmers who’ve lost hands, etc. My wife found Open Bionics through that search. We got all the info we requested and had a call with Brittany and Elise, and from there I went to Denver. We realized that Open Bionics was trying to help people like us in similar situations and not trying to necessarily turn a profit off me. They’re charging something that’s reasonable if you cannot get insurance to say yes.
Q: And how did your clinic experience go?
A: It’s been great. It was the most personable clinic experience that we’ve had, the most down to Earth people. We don’t feel like we are being rushed in and out. Using the Hero Arm was very cool – my daughter wants to 3D print a hand now..
Q: What are your hopes and expectations once you get your Hero Arm?
A: It’s going to be great to have something cool and something to just provide basic functionality, being able to work two pieces of silverware at a time – just simple things. My expectations are higher than they were before getting to travel to Denver, so I’m more hopeful now.
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It was the most personable clinic experience that we’ve had, the most down to Earth people. We don’t feel like we are being rushed in and out. Using the Hero Arm was very cool
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We will be sure to check back in with Conor once his Hero Arm is delivered, so be sure to continue to watch this space for more on Conor’s journey. If you or someone you know is interested in trialing the Hero Arm for free, be sure to follow the link below to register interest.
The Hero Arm uses myoelectric sensors which detect underlying muscular contractions generated from specific muscle groups in the arm. These are then amplified and converted into intuitive and proportional bionic hand movements. Each Hero Arm is custom-built for optimal comfort, and fits like a glove.
Since its creation in 2014, Open Bionics has been hard at work producing Hero Arms for upper limb amputees across the world. Each day, the world becomes more and more bionic. Unique upper limb amputees are learning how to integrate their Hero Arms into their everyday lives, whether that be using their prosthetics to cut food in the kitchen, walk their dog, or type on a keyboard. But one crucial aspect of the bionic journey that Open Bionics values in each user is keeping them in the fold. User feedback, check ins, and brainstorming ideas for the future are important. We want users to know that their aftercare and experiences after time has passed since delivery is a pillar of our vision. We don’t want our community to go unheard.
Recently, the Open Bionics team had the opportunity to sit down with Hero Arm, Natalie Grazian, who has been wearing her Hero Arm since 2021.The company joined the Q&A on Google Meets ready to learn more about her Hero Arm experience and gain valuable feedback on how and how Open Bionics can build and grow moving forward. Natalie is a congenital amputee and resident of the Seattle, Washington area. She had her Hero Arm fitted through the Hangar Clinic. She is currently studying occupational therapy and is a camp volunteer through Camp No Limits. In her spare time Natalie enjoys yoga, drumming, reading, and using her Hero Arm to crochet.
First off, Natalie expressed to the team that her journey with limb difference early on was defined largely by her desire to fit in with society, which led her to using a passive, skin toned prosthesis that offered no real accommodations to her needs.
“It was purely cosmetic. It may have done good things for my posture and back, but the only reason I wore it was to make an impression before someone noticed I was missing my hand.” Natalie explained. Find out how Natalie gained confidence to embrace her full-self in her recent guest post for Open Bionics.
During 2021, Natalie came to a change of perspective, and began researching bionic limbs that would ‘allow for functionality’ but look just different enough to allow her to uniquely not fit into society in a positive way. Natalie said that the top result when using those search parameters was Open Bionics. “The social part and the function part are so intertwined and that’s very interesting. The Open Bionics team were especially curious to know how the Hero Arm has played a role in Natalie’s self-expression and what has made it most valuable to her thus far, to which Natalie expressed that it isn’t always the functionally, but rather how the prosthesis looks and makes her feel.
“A really basic functional grip that lets me carry two things at once, and the fact that it just looks cool. I think Open Bionics is onto something fantastic with making a lower-cost hand that has fewer grips. Taking it a step further, I don’t think it has to look like a five-fingered human hand.” Natalie said.
“The Hero Arm has such a strong aesthetic — it’s bold, elegant, classic-looking, a little cyberpunk, and those same design principles could be applied to a simpler myoelectric terminal device that isn’t hand-shaped,” she said. “If it looks amazing and has a reliable single grip, it doesn’t matter to me what shape it is.” Natalie shared.
We are also always keen to learn about the outside clinic process, and Natalie shared that her prosthetist had her back the entire way while being fitted for her Hero Arm.
“My prosthetist was fantastic, they had actually fitted someone else there recently with a Hero Arm and they really liked it,” she said. In addition, and of utmost importance in a prosthesis fitting journey, Natalie explained that her prosthetist also helped her navigate daunting insurance hurdles, something that amputees unfortunately face too often than not.
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The Hero Arm has such a strong aesthetic — it’s bold, elegant, classic-looking, a little cyberpunk.
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“It was fascinating that they wanted to know if I could open a jar beforehand,” Natalie said. Her answer was no. “It makes me think that insurance doesn’t know what to ask or what is actually useful.” she shared. After a nine-month process of communicating with insurance, Natalie was denied, with the reason being that the Hero Arm wasn’t medically necessary and that not enough research exists to prove that it is.
“The folks at Hangar told me not to worry about it, that they’d handle it,” Natalie said. In addition, Natalie expressed to us that she feels lucky to be someone who gets the opportunity to use a Hero Arm, and that the opportunity needs to be continually extended to those who are facing uphill battles when it comes to prosthetic accessibility. “I think about that a lot, and I’m happy that is part of your mission.” Natalie said.
Pivoting to asking us some questions, Natalie expressed interest in learning more about what is most useful about the SideKick Hero Arm app. Within the app, users have access to training features that focus on muscle strength, training videos that highlight specific activities you can use the Hero Arm for, as well as grip sequencing depending on user preference, and light & haptic control. Connecting to Natalie’s bit about medical necessity and lack of research, the app also collects usage data that will be extremely beneficial in presenting the case for future insurance approvals.
The mental health side of disability also intrigues Natalie. She expressed that more proactive support is extremely important. “There’s so much mental health intertwined with disability, and from an OT (occupational therapy) perspective, those follow-ups could be really cool, really beneficial,” she said. “The Hero Arm is such a cool device, but it’s more than the sum of its parts, it becomes a part of the person.” Natalie expressed.
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The Hero Arm is such a cool device, but it’s more than the sum of its parts, it becomes a part of the person.
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Interestingly, Natalie and we agreed that prosthetics have a long way to go in terms of dexterity, and that the future looks interesting. For example, integrating more intricate movement and positioning of the fingers and wrist. Importantly, Natalie countered by reminding us that those systems should not come at the expense of comfort and weight. “Before there’s more grips, before there’s more motors – give it the comfort of really being able to wear it all day.” she explained.
Overwhelmingly, Natalie and we agreed upon a shared vision where people with limb difference have the funds, the means, and the resources to get this type of technology that leads to societal acceptance and emotional wellbeing not only while using a Hero Arm, but just overall.
“I’ve noticed such a societal difference towards me when I’m wearing my Hero Arm,” Natalie said. “That raises the standards for everyone, a lot of people with disabilities don’t have those resources and become more marginalized, so I’m excited yet cautious for the future, but happy to know that you (Open Bionics) are thinking about these things too.” she shared.
If you are a Hero Arm user who is interested in participating in a user chat with our team, please register interest with Lucas Slusher by sending him an email at [email protected]. If you’d like to trial the Hero Arm, click on the link below to register your interest and begin your bionic journey with us!
The Hero Arm uses myoelectric sensors which detect underlying muscular contractions generated from specific muscle groups in the arm. These are then amplified and converted into intuitive and proportional bionic hand movements. Each Hero Arm is custom-built for optimal comfort, and fits like a glove.
This week, Dominika Roza Frycz, an office clerk from Mainz has become one of the first individuals in Germany to receive the world’s first medically approved 3D printed multi-grip bionic arm.
The 25-year-old was born without a left arm, and throughout her life always found prosthetics more of a hindrance than a support. In her adulthood, Dominika has been looking for a solution to support with simple two-handed activities like holding a bag and phone.
Dominika secured funds for her Hero Arm under the national state insurance ‘I can’t believe how smooth and quick the process was. I’ve been waiting for technology like this all my life, and all of a sudden in three months, there it was, this custom piece of technology made just for me.’
After her Hero Arm fitting consultation with an Upper Limb Prosthetist Mike Unmacht (CPO at local Lammert Scherer GmbH), within a few hours Dominika transitioned from living with no right arm for over two decades, to being able to open a soft drink and pour it into a glass without assistance. Dominika reflected on what it was like to use both hands at the same time “It feels like I’ve always had two hands. I would never have imagined it like this before, but it’s a great feeling!”
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I can’t believe how smooth and quick the process was. I’ve been waiting for technology like this all my life, and all of a sudden in three months, there it was, this custom piece of technology made just for me.
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Unlike Dominika’s previous prostheses, which were heavy and very limited in functionality, her Hero Arm uses myoelectric sensors which detect underlying muscular contractions generated from specific muscle groups in his arm. These are then amplified and converted to intuitive and proportional bionic hand movements.
Samantha Payne MBE, Co-founder of Open Bionics commented on Dominika’s experience: “We’re thrilled to be able to offer our technology in Germany and hope Dominika with her Hero Arm will enjoy day-to-day activities like pouring a soft drink into a glass or holding her coffee and her bag at the same time.”
Also in attendance at the first Hero Arm fitting in Mainz was British Consulate General, Düsseldorf Nick Russell, who was also able to see how the technology worked by trying to control the Hero Arm technology using his arm muscles. Nick commented “This is a truly heroic partnership between Lammert Scherer and Open Bionics. Germany and Britain lead the way in Europe on number of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) graduates. Today we saw a real-life example of how British-German life sciences cooperation is not only inspiring incredible innovation, but helping to improve peoples’ lives.”
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It feels like I’ve always had two hands. I would never have imagined it like this before, but it’s a great feeling!
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Open Bionics is on a mission to support individuals like Dominika to turn their disabilities into superpowers. The company uses innovative technologies such as 3D printing and 3D scanning to ensure each Hero Arm is custom-built and bespoke to the user. If you’re interested in trialing a Hero Arm for free, click on the link below to begin your bionic journey!
The Hero Arm uses myoelectric sensors which detect underlying muscular contractions generated from specific muscle groups in the arm. These are then amplified and converted into intuitive and proportional bionic hand movements. Each Hero Arm is custom-built for optimal comfort, and fits like a glove.
Every member of the limb different community has a personal story. Each story is different and unique to the individual, with some being born without limbs or partial hands, partial fingers.. Some face the unfortunate and emotionally heavy circumstance of an illness or accident that requires surgical amputation. Others may face traumatic events that cause a limb to be lost immediately. No matter how someone comes to be a member of the limb different community, which is over 3 million in the United States, everyone has a journey of recovery or adaptation, with different levels and ways of overcoming everyday obstacles and challenges. Such is the case for quadruple amputee Torie Mugo.
In February 2023, Torie was fitted with two custom Hero Arms at the Open Bionics Denver, Colorado clinic. Since then, Torie has found new ways in being able to use her arms and fingers again. A team member at Open Bionics, Lucas Slusher had the opportunity to chat with Torie about her journey thus far.
Q: Please start with your beginnings, tell us about yourself!
A: I was born in Nairobi, Kenya, and I’m 42 years old. Growing up in Kenya was fun, I went to boarding school from 6th grade all through high school. That gave me good experience with handling things on my own. When I graduated my parents suggested that I move to the USA, and I moved here at 19! I finished college with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and got my masters in international business.
Q: Can you share with us how you became limb different?
A: Four years ago, in January 2019, I got pneumonia, which turned septic. Unfortunately, with that experience, I ended up in a coma for a month. I went through ecmo (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation), life support, and I had a trachea inserted because my lungs failed. It was hard for my entire family. My parents didn’t live here, I had a three-year-old and my auntie here with me.
Q: At what point did things begin to show improvement and how was the amputation decided on?
A: My lungs did begin to show signs of improvement at about week 4, so I was taken off the life support but kept the trachea. Because of the ecmo, my hands didn’t get blood circulation and were necrotic, same with my legs. There was no way they would have recovered. I was just happy to be alive, and in March we amputated.
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“Open Bionics was the best thing that has happened for me so far this year.”
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Q: Can you dive into the aftermath and your initial recovery process?
A: April was my discharge, and being in the hospital for three months and having someone always there to watch in case something were to happen was a change. But I pushed myself – I remember looking at a collage of pictures my family had made, and I just wanted to run again.
Q: Was running a big passion of yours prior to your surgery?
A: Yes, I was an avid athlete before all this happened, so that was all I wanted to get back to doing – running. When I told that to my parents, their response was “one step at a time.” But my end point, my focus, was if I am able to run again I think I’ll be okay. I ended up doing my own physical therapy because I couldn’t afford it officially at the time.
Q: So what did you do?
A: A friend put me in contact with an NGO (non-governmental organization), but the process was slow, and I was told the earliest I could do therapy with them was six months after I was discharged, so there’s a window of months where I’m thinking “what do I do? Stay home and do nothing?” My solution was buying stretch bands from Amazon, working out my arms and my legs every day, which was difficult, but I was determined.
Q: Was this the point where you considered prosthetics may help you?
A: I got my first prosthetics in July, but again, no physical therapy yet. But I told my dad “I am going to walk.” My dad was so proud the moment I first stood up, for me to see the smile on his face was great. My prosthetist told me to just stand on them and wear them every day, that way I’d get used to them. By the end of July, I was walking on my own.
Q: When did Open Bionics come into your journey? How did you hear about the company?
A: Open Bionics was the best thing that has happened for me so far this year. I learned about them through a symposium at the Limb Preservation Foundation and Skills for Life in Houston Texas. At the event I tried the Hero Arm and thought “this is the one. It’s not heavy, it looks efficient.”
Q: And did you sign up interest to begin the fitting process?
A: Funny enough, after I signed up at the symposium, I forgot all about it! Then in January 2023, Open Bionics contacted me and asked if I wanted to come to Denver to test it again. Of course, I wanted to know how to fund them because I needed two Hero Arms.
Q: What happened next?
A: I was told I was going to do a training program with the Hero Arm, and on the final day, Elise (Upper Limb Prosthetist at Open Bionics) came out with two boxes and told me to open them. At this point, I thought I was still testing. But Elise told me that there was an anonymous donation for both Hero Arms!
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“At the event I tried the Hero Arm and thought “this is the one. It’s not heavy, it looks efficient.”
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We will have more to share about Torie’s story during September, which is recognized as Sepsis Awareness Month. During that story, we’ll dive deeper into Torie’s experience and recovery, as well as her day-to-day with her Hero Arms, so stay tuned! If you are interested in beginning your own bionic journey with Open Bionics, please follow the link below to register interest in the Hero Arm.
The Hero Arm uses myoelectric sensors which detect underlying muscular contractions generated from specific muscle groups in the arm. These are then amplified and converted into intuitive and proportional bionic hand movements. Each Hero Arm is custom-built for optimal comfort, and fits like a glove.
The Hero Arm has proven over time to be a game changer for upper limb amputees in terms of style and unique expression of personality and interests. With the opportunity to sport a vast number of designer covers like Frozen, Iron Man, and Star Wars, Hero Arm users are breaking down barriers and letting their interests shine through their prosthesis. This is critical in the world of disabilities. Through expressive prosthetics, amputees can gain pride and confidence in themselves that they otherwise may lack. Positive conversations and interactions can take place instead of being treated as something to be avoided or feared.
A brand-new Hero Arm cover set was on full display at the Lucky Fin Project Weekend in July 2023 in Michigan. Through crowds of laughter and conversation, you could see bright orange bionic arms waving in expression and holding drinks. These covers of course turned some heads, and for good reason. These were the new Lucky Fin Project Hero Arm covers to celebrate all things Lucky Fin.
Designed in direct collaboration with the Lucky Fin Project, a disability nonprofit, the covers feature the Lucky Fin ‘hand & fin’ logo as well as the name on the hand cover, so that Hero Arm users can show off their love for Lucky Fin with pride while also having the opportunity to spread awareness and support of the nonprofit.
To celebrate the much anticipated weekend that takes place every summer in Troy Michigan, we launched a social media competition within our Hero Arm community to find the winners of these special edition covers sponsored by the Lucky Fin Project.
One Hero Arm user in attendance at the 900 people strong event with his Lucky Fin covers was Trace Wilson, who is also a Lucky Fin ambassador and author of the children’s book ‘Uniquely Me.’ Trace described how the Lucky Fin Project has become an important part of who he is.
“Having been born without my hand, I didn’t meet another amputee until I was 21 years old. That happened at a Lucky Fin event, and I quickly fell into a community I had never known,” Trace shared. “I can say easily that many of the best things in my life wouldn’t have happened without the Lucky Fin Project, and that includes receiving my Hero Arm. As an ambassador, being able to wear a Lucky Fin Hero arm cover and represent my favorite organization means the world to me.” he said.
Similarly, Hero Arm user Jeffrey Meyer was also present at Lucky Fin Weekend, sporting bright orange from head to toe, including his prized Lucky Fin Hero Arm covers. Jeff holds Lucky Fin Project close to his heart, as he didn’t meet his first fellow limb different friend until he was 51 years old.
“It was definitely a conversation starter,” Jeff said of the covers. “There’s nothing I love more than representing our limb different community in a positive way,” he explained. “Now when I wear my Hero Arm, people ask me about the bright orange covers and I’m able to share with them not one but two stories.” Jeff said. A lasting bit of enjoyment that Jeff also receives from attending Lucky Fin Weekend is the opportunity to talk to people about his Hero Arm and the versatility that the covers give along with the functionality. “It brings me great joy to be able to share with and talk to families and children about the possibilities of the Hero Arm and what I am capable of with it.” Jeff said.
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“Now when I wear my Hero Arm, people ask me about the bright orange covers and I’m able to share with them not one but two stories.”
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Another Hero Arm user and creative artist is Harmony May King. While not in attendance at this year’s Lucky Fin Weekend, she has been following the nonprofit since 2014 and was one of the winners of the Lucky Fin covers contest. “Lucky Fin has always had a special place in my heart,” Harmony said. “Growing up, I never knew anyone who had a limb difference like me, but as an adult I’ve found an entire community of lovely people with Lucky Fin at the center of it.” she explained.
“Now when I wear my Lucky Fin covers out in public, I not only get to show off my bionic arm, but I also get the opportunity to tell people about this awesome community that they may otherwise never have known about,” Harmony shared. “You never know who you’ll meet and who you’ll impact.” she finished.
Molly Stapelman, who founded the nonprofit when her own daughter was born with a limb difference, was happy to collaborate with Open Bionics to make the covers come to life, and was proud to see the numerous orange Hero Arm covers making the rounds at Lucky Fin Weekend.
“I loved seeing the covers at Lucky Fin weekend,” Molly shared. “Seeing everyone be drawn to them is such a great way to not only raise awareness for Open Bionics, but for Lucky Fin Project in general as well, we love to see it!” she explained.
To find out more about the Lucky Fin Project, be sure to check out their website at www.luckyfinproject.org, and follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. If you are interested in getting your very own Hero Arm, click on the link below to begin your bionic journey!
The Hero Arm uses myoelectric sensors which detect underlying muscular contractions generated from specific muscle groups in the arm. These are then amplified and converted into intuitive and proportional bionic hand movements. Each Hero Arm is custom-built for optimal comfort, and fits like a glove.