Posted on December 21, 2022
Mary Free Bed Orthotics & Prosthetics + Bionics Goes Global with ROMP
For the second year in a row, members of the Mary Free Beds Orthotics & Prosthetics + Bionics team traveled from Michigan to Zacapa, Guatemala. Their mission? Restore hope and freedom … globally. The trip was made possible through philanthropic support from the Mary Free Bed Guild.
Six O&P+B team members joined the Range of Motion Project (ROMP) – a nonprofit organization that provides high-quality care for underserved communities. ROMP helps create access to prosthetic care at clinics in Guatemala, Ecuador and Mexico. The partnership between ROMP and Mary Free Bed helps bring more devices to more patients who aren’t limited by their amputations but by the lack of a prosthesis.
Together Mary Free Bed and ROMP were able to provide mobility to 40 people in just ten days!
An Immersive Learning Experience Abroad
The trip to Guatemala gave Mary Free Bed’s O&P+B team a unique opportunity to be fully immersed in an entirely new work setting. Working alongside other O&P providers from across the U.S. and Central America, the team uses these trips as opportunities to learn creative, diverse ways to provide mobility.
“Being immersed in this setting for a week allows us to put all our energy and focus into providing mobility for patients,” said Maria Lesniak, Mary Free Bed certified prosthetist orthotist. “There is something really unique and special that can only come out of this type of experience.”
The team returned to the U.S. empowered with new knowledge and awareness that will benefit patients at Mary Free Bed Orthotics & Prosthetics + Bionic clinics. The trip not only taught technical skills but also the power of coming together.
Give Back and Pay it Forward
Around the world, 80% of amputees live in developing countries, but just 2% of them have access to prosthetic care. At the ROMP clinic in Guatemala, the teams worked together to supply and fit devices for 40 patients in need – children and adults alike.
This process started with patient check-ins and evaluations. Over the coming days, the multi-disciplinary, multi-ethnic team – including prosthetists, technicians, physical therapists and administrative staff – works together. They assemble, fit and align prosthetic devices quickly and efficiently in order to serve as many patients as possible in a short time.
“Seeing the appreciation, motivation, and joy in these patients reminds me why I love my job so much. It is important to see the impact of your career choice as so much of your life is dedicated to this,” said Megan Wojnicki, Mary Free Bed certified orthotist.
On the job, each member on the team gave their all come rain or shine. The impact they made set a precedent for years to come. They’re even more equipped to continue the momentum of support in other groups, cities, states and countries.
“I can honestly say that I am a better person and clinician because of this partnership between the Range of Motion Project and Mary Free Bed,” Jim Storms, Mary Free Bed certified orthotist prosthetist.
