| Show was investigating El Salvador's rural medical system I was deeply touched by this little girl in a simple pink dress struggling to walk the mile to and from school aided only by a pair of thin wooden crutches hand-carvby a neighbor Her father asked me: "Can you help my daughter to walk again?" There didn't seem to be much hope for Guadelupe and hundreds of other similarly disabled children I found most of the country's hospitals and clinics to be pitifully understaffed and without most basic medicines An artificial limb averaged $1000 Back in the US I met Fred Downs at a veterans' conference and told him about Guadelupe and other injured children I had seen Coincidentally the US Embassy in El Salvador invited him to join a team of American rehabilitation experts to study the amputee problem treatThe team suggested that low-co- st ment centers be created and Downs began to organize an El Salvador program on his own time His idea was to fit amputees with artificial limbs through government and private agencies He coalesced a grant from the US Agency for International Development political support from Reps Bill McCollum Jr Dan Coats and Frank Wolf and the assistance of the Salvadoran government's Ministry of Health and Commission on Human Rights A private organization the Knights of Malta volunteered to administer the program To fit the artificial limbs the Knights contracted Orthomedics Inc a California company whose president Roy Snelson created the "Third World Leg" which can be used after one clinical visit An experimental program was begun in April 1987 Within one week 30 e victims had received prosthetic limbs Ten were children Guadelupe among them "When Guadelupe began walking she burst into a big smile" Downs recalls "But when we called her back to craft a cosmetic foot for her new leg she began crying She was embarrassed to tell us that she didn't own any shoes So I told her 'Don't worry' I bought her first pair of shoes and socks" Thus far in several short visits to El Salvador American technicians have provided new legs free of charge for almost 400 amputees And they are training Salvadoran apprentice technicians for a permanent clinic which has extended its services to disabled senior citizens and children who've lost limbs Recently after a visit to El Salvador Downs reflected: "The best reward for me is seeing children regain their mobility They're learning to have hope" B ed : '41 -- "-- ''''' PARADE MAGAZINE JUNE 5 1988 PAGE 17 k' I d 1 - rt 1 A ' t- - 1 1 (I Nit ' I I k f Ar - ls ict s " o i HI k - ! 4 —11 741: :' "-- '' — 7 4441vi ' A k '''' —I 1 e A I ''''''' t I i'i 4 f' 4 f t mmadmmemaulifa A PROFESSIONAL PORTRAIT ISN'T EXPENSIVE IT'S PRICELESS neckties his father his sons It's about the tie that binds a to daughters his family And nothing in the world wraps up all those feelings like the gift of a professional portrait Father's Day isn't about gift-boxe- d the For the Times of Your Life' symbol And arrange for your portrait today Look for a professional photographer who displays For information on aids for disabled veterans write: Fred Downs Director Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service VA Central Office Dept P 810 Ver- I fa ) land-min- mont Ave NMI Washington DC 20420 For information on health and humanitarian needs in El Salvador write: Paul Dietrich Knights of Malta Dept P Suite 460 214 Massachusetts Ave ME Washington DC 20002 lit '''‘ ed I t 4 exmillese 0 Eastman Kodak Company 1988 TY1 C I i: 7-t) iA--:- EC |
