Have you ever found yourself with a collection of old prosthetic limbs in your closet? You know the ones we are talking about: the ones that have served you well, but have fallen into disuse over the years as you’ve upgraded or replaced your equipment. Now, have you ever wondered what to do with these valuable and sentimental items?
At this year’s Amputee Coalition National Conference, Penta Medical Recycling will be addressing this very question and inviting amputees to join a global movement by donating their excess, used equipment.
About Penta
Penta Medical Recycling is a nonprofit organization that collects prosthetic limbs from the US, where hundreds of thousands are discarded annually, and donates them to amputees in need around the world.
The idea came out of the realization that 85-95% of the world’s 100 million amputees lack access to proper prosthetic care and equipment. For some people living around the world, the cost of a bus ticket to the nearest healthcare facility alone can be prohibitive, not to mention the cost of the prosthetic care and components. In many cases, the nearest facility will not even have the necessary P&O specialists or equipment on hand, making access to care that much more difficult. In some of Penta’s countries of operation, there is only one single P&O center to provide care to the entire country’s amputee and limb-difference population.
On the other hand, upwards of 300,000 prostheses and their countless components––many of them perfectly functional––are being replaced and discarded in the United States every year.
This is where Penta steps in: we collect used and unsold prosthetic components from clinics, individuals, and manufacturers in the United States, and we send them along to partner clinics and organizations in 18 different countries around the world. In doing so, we are able to clear the clutter out of people’s homes, relieve clinics of the responsibility of collecting unsellable devices, and help manufacturers unload excess stock. All this while empowering amputees around the globe with physical, social, and economic mobility.
Join the Movement
The donation of prosthetic and orthotic components is critical to Penta’s work. We invite you to donate any excess or used prosthetic or orthotic components you have and are no longer in need of.
There are several other ways you can help, too!
- Help to share Penta’s mission! Tell your amputee support group, prosthetists, clinicians, and physical therapists that Penta is a resource for collecting and repurposing second-hand equipment.
- Become a clinic liaison- you will be assigned a group of clinics to contact and communicate with regularly to provide information and collect any equipment donations.
- Organize a limb drive and/or a limb disassembly day
Connect with Penta at the Amputee Coalition National Conference
The Penta team is excited to be speaking at the Amputee National conference this year and sharing more information about its global efforts. Attend our presentation on August 11th, 2022, at 3:45pm or visit Penta’s table in the exhibition hall! We’re looking forward to seeing you there!