A Survivor of Domestic Violence Gets the Prosthesis She Deserves

ALBERTSON, N.Y. - July 13, 2016 - PRLog -- Did you know that almost one third of women worldwide who have been in a relationship report that they have experienced some sort of physical and/or sexual violence by their intimate partner*? Two years ago, Progressive O&P was introduced by Help & Shelter, an organization founded in 1995 to work against all types of violence, to the tragic story of Natasha Houston. Just three years ago Natasha witnessed the death of her two children and lost her own arm and three fingers, a hideous crime committed by her boyfriend at the time.

After hearing her heart breaking story, the team at Progressive O&P were passionate about helping Natasha receive the best prosthetic care possible. After two years of waiting on a visa and finalizing arrangements; with help from a team of volunteers, including members of Help & Shelter, a generous housing donation from Zara Realty and donated airfare the team was happy to finally welcome her into the office last week. Certified Prosthetist, Abe Mathews said "Natasha's level amputation makes this a challenging prosthesis, but the team and I are prepared to give her the best custom arm and hand possible. There are a lot of factors that will go into her prosthesis, including: consideration of her home prosthetic care and climate, her age and her daily tasks which includes taking care of two children." Progressive O&P will provide Natasha with a custom painted cosmetic arm and hand, as well as an arm with a body powered hand.  "It's like our tag line says, we are Restoring Hope and Renewing Lives. This is what we do everyday and are happy to help such a deserving person like Natasha" Rob Von Bargen, a resident at Progressive who is working with Mathews on Natasha's prosthesis.

Natasha is only 23 and lives in a small village on the west coast of Guyana, with her new boyfriend and his two children. As a survivor of domestic violence, Natasha now volunteers as a spokesperson, speaking to victims across Guyana. Although she is able to cook, brush her teeth, and complete other daily tasks, including taking care of her boyfriend's young children, this prosthesis means a lot to her. Coming from a country that simply could not supply Natasha with a proper prosthesis, she feels excited, grateful and a little nervous about what Progressive is giving to her. When asked what a prosthesis means to her, she smiled and said "it will make me more confident and feel more secure."

As of today, Natasha's customized prosthesis's are still being fabricated but she did take home a trial socket last night, when Abe Mathews took it off of her today she said "I already feel like something is missing."

About Progressive O &P

Progressive O&P is located in Albertson, New York. Progressive provides prosthetic devices and services to individuals living with limb differences and orthotic devices and services to those living with mobility challenges. Working in their modern offices and fabrication laboratory, the elite practitioners at Progressive combine their deep understanding of anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, technology, craftsmanship and aesthetic sensibility to custom fit each patient for maximum comfort, mobility and functionality.

http://www.progoandp.com

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*World Health Organization Fact sheet N°239