To empower, educate and connect people living without both arms or more |
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Meet Alina & Andriy Smolensky
in our April Spotlight
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This month we are spotlighting Andriy Smolensky. Andriy, previously an IT specialist, volunteered to go to the front lines at the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine. In a short time, he became the commander of a separate reconnaissance unit within the 47th brigade. During one of his combat missions, Andriy came under fire and suffered severe injuries including the loss of both arms and both eyes. ESFL met Andriy and his wife Alina, a month after his injuries via zoom. Read more here...
Please take the time to watch this ABC News Story about Andriy and his wife Alina from July 2023.
*Each month, we will highlight people in our community. Email and tell us whose story we should share!
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Message from the Executive Director | |
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Every April is a time to recognize the limb loss and limb different community and the vital need to support efforts that advance equitable medical access, care, and coverage. You can mark this month by sharing your story, advocating for your needs, educating people, and make sure no one with limb difference is alone. LLLDAM is a perfect opportunity to learn more about the community and how you can get involved.
April is also Occupational Therapy Month so we also want to send a special shout out to the amazing OT's around the world who help those in our Enhancing Skills for Life community return to various levels of independence in their daily life.
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ESFL & Ukrainian Outreach Trip
ESFL organized an event that was a mix between a Skills for Life workshop and a prosthetic fitting humanitarian mission, March 25-28. Please read below to learn more about our trip. Also, join us for a zoom meeting later this month to hear more from those who attended.
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Adaptive Equipment Catalog
The Hands Free Adaptive Equipment Catalog is officially released! Have you had a chance to scroll through it yet? If so, have you found anything helpful or see anything missing? We would love to hear from you, so please contact us with your feedback.
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Keep scrolling for additional information and more in depth details on the latest programs and resources with ESFL.
Warm regards,
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Latest News, Tips & Resources |
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ESFL Special Mission to Ukraine
ESFL organized a unique event that was a mix between a Skills for Life workshop and a prosthetic fitting humanitarian mission, The event was held March 25-28 and was specifically put together for healthcare professionals working with people who had lost both arms or more during the war with Russia.
Six patients were fit with body-powered devices. Dave Rotter, CPO worked with 7 local Ukrainian prosthetists and technicians to train them in best practices for bilateral body-powered fittings.
Kristi Turner, OT and Shawn Johnson, OT worked with 20 Ukrainian Occupational and Physical Therapists to provide best practices for bilateral upper limb loss prosthetic training as well as share adaptive equipment ideas. They also helped train the new patients in use of their prostheses.
The heart and soul of this trip were our four ESFL ambassadors, Mike St Onge, Samoana Matagi, Ania Marecka and Eric Nelson. They, along with Oleksandr Tereschenko and Vadim Sviridenko, two Ukrainian ambassadors, showed those who had lost both arms, their family members, and the healthcare providers in attendance that living (and traveling) independently without both arms or more is possible!! Proper prosthetic fitting, OT training, adaptive equipment and use of toes, all play such an important role!
THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THIS TRIP WAS TO ASSIST IN SUSTAINABILITY OF THE PROSTHETIC INDUUSTRY WITHIN UKRAINE.
Thank you to Protez Hub for believing in this 'Skills for Life Ukraine' idea, finding the sponsors to bring it to fruition and organizing all of the moving parts at the hospital and prosthetic facility over the 4 days. Thank you to Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Clinical Hospital and Prosthetic & Orthopedic Care for being such amazing host facilities!
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Hands Free: A Beginner's Guide for Adaptive Equipment & Helpful Gadgets
After almost 8 years of discussion and work in earnest over the last 4 years, the Hands Free Adaptive Equipment Catalog was officially released on April 1st! We purposely chose this date to coincide with LLLDAM and OT Month and not for a mean April Fools joke! We have received a lot of positive feedback so far. Please let us know what we are missing our how we can make it better for version 2. Please make sure to visit Page 3 for a link with helpful tips for successful navigation of the guide.
This project was partially funded through the Empowerment Grant from Hanger Foundation.
We are excited to be able to provide this comprehensive and FREE guide for our community and their family members. The catalog can be found in the Resources section of our website.
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ESFL First EVER T-Shirt (but not the last)
We are so pleased to offer a tshirt that has the Enhancing Skills for Life name/logo on it for the first time!
We have been loving seeing all the photos of people wearing the shirt on social media! This is such an easy way to support our organization as well as celebrate limb loss/limb difference awareness month!
Order your shirt today! All adult and children sizes available.
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Mark Your Calendars - Skills for Life 7!!
in case you missed the news last month, we are pleased to announce Skills for Life 7: Bilateral Upper Limb Difference Workshop will be taking place October 16-18, 2025. in Houston, TX.
Mark your calendars and make plans to join us! This event only happens every 3 years so you don't want to miss it. At our past few workshops, we had over 75 people living without both arms or all four limbs from all over the world attend. Even if you have come before, you have not seen it all, learned it all or met every person. Every workshop is different and you don't want to miss out on this life changing event.
Video recap from Skills for Life 6 to get you motivated to block off the dates.
We are in need of volunteers for the planning committee, contact us today if you are interested in being part of the process. Planning will begin October 2024.
Website with basic information available now, hotel info and reservation link coming soon. Stay tuned to this newsletter and our website over the coming months.
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Join us on Wednesday, April 24 at 7pm central to hear more about our trip to Ukraine. From planes and overnight buses to clearing customs and interactions with our Ukrainian counterparts. What impacted us the most, what inspired us to go on the trip, what surprised us the most and more!
Join Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/97649737361
If you have an idea for a monthly zoom, please contact us!
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Upcoming Events & Programs |
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Association of Children's Prosthetic-Orthotic Clinics (ACPOC)
Website
Denver, CO
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Amputee Coalition National Conference
Website
Atlanta, GA
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MEC Symposium
Website
Fredericton, NB, CANADA
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Andy Mattox's 2nd Annual Rock & Bowl Fundraiser
Website
Medina, OH
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Get Involved!
Thank you to those who contacted us over the past few months! We are still looking for help, so let us know if you have time, experience, resources, or referrals/connections with any of the below.
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Change a Life, Donate Today
The Skills for Life workshop was developed in 2002 with a specific focus on people living without both arms or more and the unique set of circumstances they face on a daily basis. The nonprofit was founded in 2017 to ensure we could continue supporting the members of our community with programs, events, resources, and connections. Please click the Venmo or PayPal donate buttons in this section to donate. PayPal allows you to donate via your account or with a credit card. Venmo requires you to have an account. Donations can also be made via check, payable to Enhancing Skills for Life, 16111 Park Center Dr, Houston, TX 77059.
Any and all donations, large or small, are greatly appreciated!
Enhancing Skills for Life, 501c3 Tax ID: 81-2619137.
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