It all started with Fredrick Mafira’s desire to have his son Pride (6) obtain a prosthesis for his amputated right leg. Inspired by the goodwill of Jim Cahill, who assisted Pride to acquire a sophisticated artificial leg in the USA later that year, the senior Mafira (37) resolved to champion a similar local initiative to provide affordable and advanced prosthesis services to Zimbabwe’s ever growing community of amputees.
Fredrick, a transporter by profession, says Mutare City Council welcomed him to do business in the eastern border town. The project will commence next year.
“My son was born with his right leg shorter than the other, a disease they call fibula hemimelia. This led to amputation of the leg when he was a year old. It was by chance that I met Cahill at the airport after I had visited a friend employed by the Immigration Department.
“After relating my son’s situation, Cahill who is also an amputee, was quick to come up with suggestions that he be flown to the USA for prosthesis,” he said.
Cahill is Vice President of Thompson Custom Orthotics and Prosthesis in the US. Pride had a plastic leg which could hardly support his body without the aid of crutches and the expert volunteered to take it to Spokane in the US where a new carbon fibre and titanium one with a flex foot donated by Ossur North America was crafted. This has allowed the boy to walk and run about without the aid of crutches.
To ensure Pride’s father continued to provide essential services to the new leg, Cahill’s family flew the father and son to Spokane where specialist training was provided give long term service to Pride and other people in his situation.
“I am completing the course early next year. The local authority has asked me to site an ideal area for the project and put my act in good order. To raise part of the funds required for the venture I am making some savings from my haulage transport business and will soon establish a water bottling company in Mutare,” he said.
Besides direct prosthesis training the course, part time and distance education, covers what techniques and materials are available in Zimbabwe. “The idea is to provide Fredrick with components and training for prosthesis that are reproducible in Zimbabwe,” said Cahill.
Following the successful prosthesis provided his son he got inspired and began to research the needs of amputees in Zimbabwe. “I sadly found o that some amputees were facing emotional abuse and discrimination. I decided to set up the centre to provide affordable prostheses. My aim is to ensure every amputee goes through successful and affordable prosthesis by 2016. I will provide durable hands and leg assistive devices. With time and resources the project will also provide Brain controlled prosthetic arms and modular prosthetic limbs.”
Fredrick said he had initially chosen Victoria Falls for the prosthesis centre but the local council was not forthcoming with land. As he wanted to provide the service to other countries such as Zambia, DRC, Botswana, Namibia among other regional countries, Victoria Falls would have been ideal given its central position and availability of a serviceable airport.
“When people see a handicapped person they must see beyond him. Society should embrace the physically challenged and instead of feeling pity for them they should give love,” said Fredrick, who is an Evangelist at the New Apostolic Church and an entrepreneur working with communities on both natural and spiritual aspects of life.
While Pride is mentoring other children in his situation at school, Fredrick will scout for amputees from across the country and provide them with counselling. Dozens of amputees have already benefitted from his services.
Mafira expressed gratitude to companies, individuals and institutions such as Thompsons Prosthetics and Orthotics (USA), South Africa Airways, American Embassy, Standard Chartered Bank, Sheer Waters, Adventure Zone, Victoria Falls community and friends, Celebration and Apostolic Churches among others who helped turn Pride’s life during both the local and US prosthesises.
Post published in: News