NAAOP is proud to partner with the Range of Motion Project (ROMP) for Limb Loss Awareness Month as part of their national component collection drive.
Launching in April, and continuing throughout this spring, ROMP is collecting new and gently used prosthetic components from clinics, manufacturers, and individuals throughout the United States to ensure ROMP’s clinics in Guatemala and Ecuador can continue to provide high-quality prosthetic care to access-limited people with amputation. This is part of ROMP’s Components for a Cause (C4C) year-round component recycling program.
Nicole Ver Kuilen, NAAOP’s Inaugural Fellow and Consumer Vice President, is helping to lead this effort with ROMP. Ver Kuilen shared, “April is Limb Loss Awareness Month and it’s critical we acknowledge the fact that 9 out of 10 amputees worldwide do not have access to prosthetic care. This month, we can do something about that.”
ROMP will cover the cost of shipping and donated components will go directly to use in changing someone’s life. It’s as simple as signing up and requesting a free shipping label! Recently, ROMP implemented a QR code tracking system to increase transparency and impact. Every knee, foot, and liner donated is tracked all the way to the patient, so donors know exactly who they’ve helped become mobile.
“What better way to help those with limb loss during this important month for the O&P community than through this project that our first Fellow is working on. NAAOP and our Board of Directors congratulate every organization and individual involved in making the lives better for those with limb loss worldwide,” shared George Breece, Executive Director of NAAOP.
ROMP now has over 150 clinic partners in the United States who have joined the movement for equitable access to prosthetic care. This represents just 5% of clinics nationwide, which is why ROMP is calling for hundreds more to join in the effort. In 2020, ROMP collected over 5,000 pounds of components and hopes to collect 7,000 pounds in 2021.
Dave Krupa, CPO and ROMP Executive Director and Co-Founder shared, “Since 2005, ROMP has been working with the most marginalized individuals in the Americas who would otherwise not have access to prosthetic care. We are proud to share that we just surpassed our 4,000th prosthesis delivered in 2021. This journey would not be possible without ROMP’s C4C donors and partners like NAAOP who are dedicated to breaking down economic and systemic barriers that keep individuals from obtaining the freedom that comes from mobility. We believe in mobility for all.”
About NAAOP
The National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics and Prosthetics is a non-profit trade association dedicated to educating the public and promoting public policy that is in the interest of the O&P patient. Since 1987, NAAOP has shaped positive results in healthcare legislation and regulation through strong government relations advocacy and education of policymakers. NAAOP serves the profession by representing and partnering with only those providers of orthotic and prosthetic services who truly believe that the patient must come first. For more information please visit: https://naaop.us/
About ROMP
The Range of Motion Project is a global, non-profit organization dedicated to improving the mobility of people with amputation. ROMP realizes its mission by providing high-quality prosthetic care, follow up services, community-based rehabilitation, and product innovation through its permanent operations. Since 2005, ROMP has delivered over 4,000 custom-made, high-quality prosthetic devices in Guatemala, Ecuador, and the U.S., and conducted over 10,000 patient visits. In the next 5 years ROMP plans to raise $5 million dollars to deliver 5,000 prosthetic devices to those in need. To learn more or help advance their mission, please visit https://www.rompglobal.org/.