Expat plans run to raise funds for prosthetic limbs
Campaign aims to put Children Back On Their Feet
Dubai: German expatriate and Guinness World Record Holder in marathon, Wendelin Lauxen, is on a two-fold mission — run to raise money for children who need prosthetic limbs and provide orthotic services (to correct deformities) for people in war-affected zones.
A prosthetic leg by itself can cost Dh35,000 and upwards, plus extra for the related medical costs including rehabilitation.
The names of the children left with amputations and limb deformities may blur, but the need for prosthetic limbs caused by bomb blasts and other atrocities of conflict is evident. The inability to afford this cost has prevented several children in conflict zones from being able to enjoy a productive, happy childhood.
Lauxen hopes to reduce this number. His campaign titled Help Children Back On Their Feet is also his mission statement. Of his campaign, he told Gulf News, "I want people, especially children, to walk and run again. I want them to get back on their feet. There are so many people including children who cannot walk due to amputated legs or lower limb deformities. In Gaza, kids have lost both limbs due to bombs. There are so many children in conflict zones who are desperately in need of prosthetic treatment."
Lauxen is the managing director at German Limbtech Orthopaedic Technology, Dubai Healthcare City, which provides a full range of orthopaedic technology for adults and children including prostheses and orthoses for the lower and upper limbs.
He is also a professional runner. Last month [April], he won the Guinness World Record title ‘Fastest time to complete a Marathon on each of the Seven Continents (male)" in 28 days, 23 hours, 25 minutes and 4 seconds. In December 2010, he took up the solo Seven Emirates Run challenge over 12 days covering 573 km to raise money for his cause.
Unique opportunity
His understanding in prosthetics, lymphatic and vascular diseases and compression therapy and his passion for running, present a unique opportunity to help people in need of prosthetic treatment.
"I wanted to bring both fields together so I collaborated with two non-profit organisations — Palestinian Children's Relief Fund (PCRF) and Little Wings Foundation," he said.
The PCRF provides life-saving medical care to Arab children who are unable to receive aid in their hometowns due to economic and infrastructural limitations whereas the Foundation provides medical assistance to children living in the Mena region who have musculoskeletal deformities.
So far Lauxen has raised Dh40,000 towards treatments, donated prosthetic material costing Dh40,000 and helped collect donations in excess of Dh45,000 for medical costs in support of the two non-profit organisations.
Among others, he has helped Palestinian Oday Al Jamal, 11, who he lost his right leg in a bomb blast, and Diya Al Aster, 17, from the West Bank who required surgery to correct a deformity in his right leg.
In March this year, he helped 15 children in Tel Aviv for orthotics. Next month, he will donate prosthetic material to a child travelling from Gaza to Dubai who needs a prosthetic leg replaced, through the PCRF.
Full spectrum
Speaking about the high demand for prosthetics in the region and the role of fully-equipped centres, Dr Ayesha M. Abdullah, managing director of Dubai Healthcare City, said that the German Limbtech Orthopaedic centre is one of few in the region to support a full spectrum of services.
She told Gulf News: "Historically people travel to Europe or the US for such treatments. While there is nothing wrong in doing so, the problem is often the follow-up and the time spent for rehabilitation. We have seen several patients from war-stricken areas in Palestine, Iraq and others benefiting from the available prosthetic treatments here, in addition to a workshop that produces different kinds of prosthetics."
