In this blog, I would like to tell you about the incredible work of the nonprofit organization, LimbFit.
LimbFit was started by Greg Ekbom, a retired general/vascular surgeon who practiced for 31 years in Milwaukee before moving to Minnesota to help start a Physician Assistant Program at Bethel College in St. Paul. For many years Greg also focused on surgical education and resident training in Chogoria, Kenya, and Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo as well as participating in many medical missions. He saw a great need to help amputees in developing countries.
Greg was familiar with limb loss on a personal level. His son, Doug, at age 32, became a bi-lateral amputee as a result of an acute and complete thrombosis of his abdominal aorta resulting in no blood flow to his lower extremities. After a long recovery and rehabilitation, Doug wanted to accompany his father to Chogoria to offer support and minister to amputees there.
Prior to their journey to Chogoria, Greg attended the Global Missions Health Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, and learned about the LN-4 Hand Project. When LN-4 heard about his African mission, they donated 25 hand prostheses. Excited about the donation, the Chogoria Hospital posted on Facebook inviting amputees to the free clinic.
When word of the clinic spread, patients and their families came from all over Kenya, including the Ethiopian border. The entire hospital grounds were saturated with amputees and their families. The overwhelming response is a result of amputees in the developing world having less than a 10% chance of ever receiving a prosthetic limb.
At the clinic, Greg and Doug saw 53 upper extremity amputees. As Greg worked in surgery, Doug accompanied the chaplains to the wards where he shared his message of hope with patients. Nairobi’s Kikuyu Hospital assisted the lower limb amputees.
Upon their return home, Greg and Doug discussed how they might continue to be involved. Sadly, Doug passed away in late 2019, but Greg started the nonprofit Dignity for the Amputee International in Doug’s memory.
Greg continues to spearhead clinics in Africa and LimbFit partners with the LN-4 Hand Project to provide prostheses to amputees in areas of the world where a non-electronic, rudimentary prosthetic hand will change a life.
I’m proud to have known Greg for many years as well as his late wife, Eva, and Doug. We share many of the same values and desire to help others. I’m honored to be on the Board of Directors for Dignity for the Amputee International. I hope as a board member, I can make an impact around the world for those struggling with physical disabilities.
I hope you enjoyed reading about this remarkable organization and its founder Greg Ekbom. You can learn more about LimbFit at limbfit.org.
Sincerely,
Brian Kelsey, CPO