LN-4 Hand Project

Since 2005, The LN-4 Hand Project (Ellen Meadows Prosthetic Hand Foundation) has distributed almost 60,000 hands in over 80 countries.

After Doug Ekbom’s bilateral, below-knee amputations in 2018, he joined his father, Greg on his annual trip to Chogoria, Kenya the following January. In preparation for the trip, Greg reached out to his contacts at the Global Health Missions Conference where he was introduced to The LN-4 Hand Project.

The organization sent 25 prostheses with the father and son team. Two weeks prior to their arrival, the Chogoria Hospital had posted on Facebook to invite any amputees to the clinic and 175 patients showed up!

After a call with LN-4 to order more prosthetics, Doug, Greg, and Chogoria Hospital staff fitted 70 patients with LN-4 prosthetic hands. Many patients were there with lower extremity amputations, which the team could not service at that time. This inspired the PT department to start a monthly amputee clinic to seek to provide prostheses for these patients.

“Some have used the LN4 hand as a placeholder while they continue to move forward on a two-year waiting list that their country’s medical system has, hoping to eventually gain a more advanced prosthetic limb. For others, this hand will be the best opportunity for regaining mobility and hand use they will ever have. Regardless of what point in someone’s journey, we hope to help anyone who expresses a need.”

- LN-4 Hand Project

LimbFit continues to partner with The LN-4 Hand Project to provide prostheses to amputees in areas of the world where a non-electronic, rudimentary prosthetic hand will change a life. This partnership allows us to reach more people in need and aid in research for improved prosthetic technology in these areas of the world.