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כיצד התעמלות גרמה לפגיעה בעמוד השדרה שלי שמי פרדי. אני בן 21 מקאלי, קולומביה. לפני 18 שנה עברתי תאונת התעמלות. שברתי את חוליות C4 ו- C5. עכשיו אני משותק מן הצוואר ומטה ולהוט לחיות את חיי בכל יום. החיים לא קלים שכן אני כבר מרותק למיטה במשך שנתיים עם חתך בכלי הנשימה. אני מודה לאלוהים ולמשפחה שלי על תמיכתם הגדולה ומבקש להראות עצמי כדמות של השראה ומוטיבציה. אני בסמסטר השלישי שלי ללימודי תזונה, ועושה הכל באמצעות כסא גלגלים. אני שמח שאלוהים איתי. אל תתנו לאף אחד להגיד לכם שאתם לא יכולים לעשות משהו. השתמשו בראש ובאנרגיה כדי להיות חיוביים. How gymnastics caused my spinal cord injury My name is Freddy. I am 21 years old from Cali, Colombia. 18 years ago, I suffered from a gymnastics accident. I fractured my C4 and C5. I am now a functioning quadriplegic eager to live my life each and every day. Life has not been easy as I have been bedridden for two years with tracheostomy. I thank God and my family for their great support and seek to create myself as a figure of inspiration and motivation. I'm in my third semester of nutrition and dietetics and I do it all using a wheelchair. I am happy that God is with me. Don't ever let anybody tell you that you can't do something. Use your mind and energy to be positive.

הקרב לא נגמר לאחר המלחמה שירתתי 5 שנים בחיל הנחתים של ארה"ב. לאחר שליחויות רבות למקומות כגון: סומליה, האיטי, בוסניה, אלבניה, ליבריה ועוד, סבלתי ממספר פציעות. אני הנמען של סרט פעולה לחימה לב סגול. המוגבלויות גבו ממני מחיר כבד. אני סובל מפוסט-טראומה, נזק מוחי, נזק עצבי, דלקת מפרקים ניוונית ופגיעה בעמוד השדרה. בנוסף לסד בקרסול, שתי הברכיים הברך, בגב, מקלות הליכה וקטנוע ממונע עבור ניידות, אני חייב להשתמש ברצועות מיוחדות בחדר הכושר. למרות עוויתות גב מתמשכות ומחלת מפרקים מאתגרת, אני לא אתן להן לעצור אותי \מלהמשיך קדימה בפיזיותרפיה ובאימונים. דרך עבודה קשה ונחישות התחריתי במשחקים המותאמים בסנט לואיס ב-2016 ו-2017 בפיתוח גוף וזכיתי לתואר מפתח גוף מקצועי. The Battle Doesn't End After The War I spent 5 years in the US Marine Corps. After many deployments to locations such as: Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Albania, Liberia, etc. I suffered several combat injuries. I am the recipient of the combat action ribbon and purple heart. The disabilities have taken quite a toll on me with the current lasting effects. I suffer with: PTSD, TBI, Nerve Damage, Osteoarthritis, Spinal Cord Injury and Spinal Cord Impingement. In addition to using an ankle brace, two knee braces, back brace, canes, and power scooter for mobility, I must use special hook straps and wraps for gripping while at the gym. Although enduring back spasms and degenerative joint disease has been challenging, I will not let it stop me from pushing forward in my physical therapy and bodybuilding training. Through hard work and determination I competed in the St. Louis Gateway Games- an adaptive Track & Field meet in 2016. In 2017 I competed in the N.A.N.B.F. St. Louis Gateway Naturals Pro Qualifier for bodybuilding. I won my division earning my professional body builder card. I joined the INBA/PNBA as a PNBA Pro.

כיצד המנגיומה משפיעה עלי אני זינב ממרוקו. נולדתי עם גידול שפיר קטן על המצח שלי (המנגיומה). רופא ביצע ניתוח להסרתו. בגיל ההתבגרות הייתה לי לסת עליונה קדמית ולסת תחתונה נסוגה, מה שגרם לתווי הפנים שלי להיראות לא עקביים בצד הזה של פני. יש לי גם גולגולת שטוחה שאני תמיד מנפחת את השיער כדי להסתיר אותה. כל הפגמים האלה הם בשל פגם גנטי שנגרם לי כשאמי הייתה בהיריון איתי. How Hemangioma Effects Me I'm Zineb from Morocco. I was born with a small tumor on my forehead (Hemangioma). A doctor performed surgery to remove it. During puberty, I had a forward upper jaw and a retracted lower jaw, which made my facial features look inconsistent on that side of my face. I also have a flat skull, so I always puff my hair to hide it. All those flaws happened because of a genetic defect when my mom was pregnant with me. יופי אמיתי נמצא בנשמה הרבה אנשים בוהים בי או צוחקים עלי. קשה לשכנע אנשים שהיופי האמיתי הוא היופי שבנשמה, כי הערצה מתחילה כשרואים את היופי שבפנים. אנשים לא יודעים איך לקבל אדם אחר ואין להם מושג איך המילים שלהם משפיעות והורגות אחרים. נתתי לזה להרוס אותי לגמרי ואיבדתי את הביטחון העצמי שלי. ידעתי שיש ניתוחים פשוטים לתקן את הפגמים שלי, אבל הם כל כך יקרים. לא יכולתי להצליח בחיי, לא הצלחתי להגשים את חלומותיי או להציג את כשרונותיי משום שאני מבקרת, מאשימה ומזלזלת בעצמי. בכיתי הרבה בגלל זה, לא ידעתי איך לאהוב את עצמי או איך להתחיל לעשות את זה, וזה השפיע על היחסים החברתיים והאישיים שלי. real beauty is found in the soul There are many people who stare at me or make fun of me. It's hard to convince people that the real beauty is the soul's beauty because admiration starts when they see the beauty of the face. People don't know how accept a different person and have no idea how their words impact and kill others. I let this destroy me completely and lost my self confidence. I knew that there are simple surgeries to fix my flaws, but they're so expensive. I couldn't succeed in my life, I couldn't achieve my dreams or show my talents because I was criticizing, blaming and underestimating myself. I cried lot because of that, didn't know how to love myself or how to start doing so, and it had an impact on my social and personal relationships.

יש תמיד סיבות להאמין באלוהים אני ספורטאי אדפטיבי מוונצואלה. משחק טניס כיסאות גלגלים ורץ במרתונים. אני גם נוצרי אדוק. מאמין באלוהים המאפשר לנו להתקדם ולהשיג את מטרותינו כל עוד אנו מאמינים כי אנו נועדנו לכבוש את המצוקות העומדות בפנינו. There are always reasons to follow God I am an adaptive athlete from Venezuela. play wheelchair tennis and run in marathons. I am also a devout Christian. I believe in a God that allows us to advance and achieve our goals as long as we believe that we are designed to conquer the adversities that are presented to us.

פעולות שוות 1000 מילים שמי קיילה ליבו ואני בת 24 עם שיתוק מוחין. אני סטודנטית בשנה האחרונה ללימודים במכללה, מתמחה בחינוך לגיל הרך וקרימינולוגיה. אני כרגע יועצת בבית ספר, אבל בסופו של דבר רוצה להיות עורכת דין לאלימות במשפחה. ב-2014 הייתי מעורבת בתאונת דרכים קשה שהותירה אותי בכיסא גלגלים במשך ארבע שנים. באוקטובר שעבר עברתי ניתוח שחזור ברגל ימין ומאז אני נלחמת להחזיר לעצמי את הניידות. שיתוק המוחין הוא רק חלק מהסיפור שלי, אבל הוא חלק ממי שאני. אני מלמדת מקצועות עיוניים אבל גם שואפת ללמד תקווה. סופרת את הברכות שלי בכל יום. גישה היא הכל. אין דבר בלתי אפשרי. אם תאמינו - תשיגו. Actions are Worth 1,000 Words My name is Kaela Lebow and I am 24 years old, with Cerebral Palsy. I am a senior in college, majoring in Early Childhood Education and Criminology. I am currently a homeschool advisor, but I ultimately want to be a domestic violence attorney. In 2014, I was involved in a serious car accident that left me wheelchair bound for almost four years. This past October, I underwent reconstructive surgery on my right foot, and have been fighting to get my mobility back ever since. Having Cerebral Palsy is only a part of my story, but it is a part of who I am. I teach academics, but I also strive to teach hope. I count my blessings everyday. Attitude is everything. Impossible is nothing. If you believe, you will achieve.

מקווה שסיפור זה על מחלה בלתי נראית יחסוך לכם כאב וצרות שמי ניקלאס. בשנת 2010 נפגעתי מאופנוע. כתוצאה מן התאונה עצם הירך השמאלית שלי נשברה פעמיים וכ-5 ס"מ ממנה התנפצו לרסיסים. בעזרת הפיזיותרפיה למדתי ללכת שוב בחצי השנה שלאחר מכן והכל נראה בסדר. 5 שנים לאחר מכן כל המסמרים והברגים הוסרו, אבל שוב התמודדתי עם כאבים עזים וחוסר תנועתיות. הרופאים איתם התייעצתי אמרו לי שזו כנראה רק תגובה דלקתית שתעבור לאחר זמן מה ושלחו אותי הביתה עם כדורים אנטי דלקתיים ותרופות כאב בלבד. יום אחד החליט הרופא שלי לעשות עוד רנטגן ויכולנו לראות בבירור שמפרק הירך התמוטט ואיבד את צורתו העגולה, הוא היה חד בצורה מוגזמת ומעוות. מצב זה נקרא נמק העצם, שהוא הפרעה באספקת דם לעצם, הגורמת למוות של רקמת העצם, המוביל להרס של העצם. עכשיו אני במעין מצב מוזר, אני לא יכול שיחליפו לי את המפרק כי בגיל 24 אני נחשב צעיר מדי עבור הניתוח הזה. אבל עדיין, נטילת תרופות כאב היא לא אופציה לטווח ארוך בגלל תופעות לוואי. עם זאת, אני מנסה ליהנות מהחיים כמה שיותר. מלבד העבודה אני לומד בסופי שבוע. עדיין מותר לי לשחות, לצלול ולרכב על אופניים. באמצעות אימונים אני מנסה לייצב את המפרקים התומכים בשרירים. אחי ואני קנינו גלשן רוח ישן. עד תחילת השנה אשמח לנסות את זה - יהיה כל כך מגניב אם עדיין אוכל.. אצטרך לגלות זאת בקיץ. בעיה זו יכולה להשפיע על כל עצם / מפרק ולהיגרם על ידי צריכת אלכוהול מופרזת, הריון, סטרואידים, קורטיזון / פרדניזון, טראומה כמו במקרה שלי ולפעמים ללא סיבה בכלל. ישנן אפשרויות טיפול זמין אך רק בשלבים הראשונים שבהם העצם לא מראה סימנים של קריסה. זה יכול להיות מזוהה רק על ידי בדיקות MRI, לא בצילום רנטגן! אני מקווה שהמודעות למחלה הבלתי נראית הזאת תגדל, אולי היא תציל את המפרקים של מישהו אם תזוהה ותטופל בשלב מוקדם! i hope this story about Invisible Disease will spare you some pain and trouble My name is Niklas. In 2010 I was hit by a motorcycle. As a result of the accident my left femur broke twice and about 5 cm of the bone was dashed to shivers. With the aid of physical therapy, I learned to walk again during the next half year and everything seemed fine. 5 years later, all the nails and screws had been removed but I faced intense pain and immobility again. The doctors that I consulted with told me it is probably just an inflammatory reaction that will ease after a while, they left it at that and sent me home and just prescribed anti-inflammatories and pain medication. One day my doctor decided to make another x-ray and we could clearly see the hip joint had collapsed and lost it's round shape, it was edgy and deformed. This condition is called avascular necrosis, where the bone starts to die due to a lack of blood supply. Now I'm in kind of a weird situation, I can't get my joint replaced because at the age of 24 I am considered too young for this surgery. But still, taking pain medication is not a long-term option because of the side-effects. Nevertheless, I am trying to enjoy life as much as possible. Besides work I study on the weekends. I am still allowed to swim, dive and ride bicycles. Through workouts I try to stabilize the joints supporting muscles. My brother and I bought an old windsurfing board. By the beginning of this year, I would love to try it out- it would be so cool if this still works.. I'll have to find out this summer. This problem can affect any bone/joint and can be caused for example through alcohol abuse, pregnancy, steroids, cortisone/prednisone, trauma like in my case and sometimes without a reason at all. There are treatment options available but only throughout the first stages where the bone shows no signs of collapse. It can only be detected by MRI tests, not through common X-Rays! I would hope that the awareness for this invisible disease increases, maybe it can save someone’s joints if it is detected and treated early on!

COMMIT TO LIVING A BALANCED LIFE I've been balancing my life as a CEO of Mighty Well, being in a relationship for five years, and having chronic Lyme disease. It is extremely challenging, but I make it a point to live fully in these areas of my life. I plan ahead and make sure I have time with my boyfriend to go on dates. I have been fortunate enough to be with my boyfriend for five years, who just happens to be one of my Mighty Well co-founders. We started dating before we knew that I had Lyme and coinfections, and I am beyond thankful that he has stayed by my side even when I smelled like garlic for six months thanks to an all-natural Chinese Herbal therapy I was doing! If dating or being in a relationship is important to you, you have to commit to it. Make time for dates. Give yourself a chance to fall in love. #1: LEAD WITH OPENNESS Be open from the beginning about your illness. If you are looking for a serious relationship, then this person will have to accept your health conditions. However, if it’s just the first few dates, it’s okay to not discuss your medical device if you’re not comfortable. There’s really no hard and fast rule as to when you should let him or her know. The best thing to do is to trust your instinct. I found out about my diagnosis the summer before starting my sophomore year. Yousef and I had taken a break for the summer, and on the first day back at Babson we went out for iced cream. I sat him down and told him about my recent diagnosis. I told him that he could either be with me while I went through treatment, or he could move on (and I would totally understand). Thankfully, he decided that I was worth the hundreds of doctors appointments, days that I couldn’t do ‘normal’ college activities, get out of bed, freak accidents with my PICC line, and countless of laughs while watching Parks and Rec on the days I couldn’t get out of bed. #2: DISCLOSE YOUR DIET If you have dietary restrictions, let the other person know early on because you don’t want to end up at a restaurant or bar that you can’t eat anything and then the other person feels bad that you can’t participate in the fun. I remember one time Yousef brought me to a new Ramen bar, and they didn’t have gluten free noodles. We only discovered this after waiting an hour for a seat! He felt so bad that there was nothing that I could eat. Always plan ahead and check the menu! It will be worth finding a place that you all can enjoy! #3: YOU CAN ''FAKE'' IT Do you find yourself in situations where you have to explain to people why you’re not drinking? It can be quite frustrating! To avoid the frustration, it’s better to just skip the explanation and “fake” it instead. You’ll enjoy the moment more. And most likely, if you’re at a party and with new people, you won’t meet them again. What I do is order sparkling water in a wine glass with lime, or a club soda with cranberry to disguise it as a vodka soda with cranberry. Other times, I will bring a cool iced tea can that I find at Wholefoods and try to pass it off as a microbrew. My usual go to is Guayaki Yerba Mate because of the cool can and yummy taste + health benefits! Just be sure to pick an option with low sugar! It’s a win-win situation for everyone. You’ll enjoy your healthy drink, while the rest of the people will be less likely to overwhelm you with questions. #4: INVOLVE THEM EVERY STEP OF THE WAY When things start to get serious, have the person become more involved. I think only then they will really start to see the severity of your health condition. Don’t overwhelm them though. Start with something simple. A good way to go about it is to thoroughly explain your condition and treatment. Encourage them to ask questions. Give them options as to which area in your illness they want to know more. Do they want to go with you to your next doctor’s appointment? Yes, dating is hard, for everyone. And it can be ten times harder for spoonies like us. But it doesn’t mean that we don’t get to have fun! It’s all about finding the options that work for you and finding the right person that’s worth your time. What are the things you’ve learned about dating and being in a relationship? Join us for a more intimate conversation on our Friends in the Fight Facebook Group. For more on dating while battling a chronic illness be sure to check out my friend Liesl Peters personal story about how she learned to overcome her fear of dating with an ostomy.

כיצד נהייתי משותק מהצוואר ומטה והשיקום שלי לפני ארבע שנים עברתי תאונת אופנוע קטסטרופלית שהותירה אותי משותק מהצוואר ומטה. לאחר שני ניתוחים שונים להחלפה ולאיחוד חוט השדרה שלי, ניתן לי סיכוי של 1% ללכת או להשתמש בזרועות שלי שוב באופן רגיל על ידי המנתח שביצע את שני ניתוחי החירום. זו הייתה הפעם הראשונה שקיבלתי את ההזדמנות לבחור האם להמשיך את הסטטוס קוו או להמציא את עצמי מחדש. אז בחרתי באופציה השנייה... התחלתי במשטר קפדני של פיזיותרפיה וריפוי בעיסוק. שישה חודשים לאחר מכן הצלחתי להיכנס לכיסא גלגלים שהופעל על ידי ג'ויסטיק כדי שאוכל לזוז עם יד ימין. המשכתי להתמיד בהתחשב במה שיכולתי לעשות עם הגוף שלי באותו שלב. עם עבודה מתמשכת הצלחתי בסופו של דבר להיכנס לכיסא גלגלים ללא סיוע כלל שהייתי מסוגל לדחוף בשתי הידיים. כיום, ארבע שנים לאחר מכן - אני עובד רק בעזרת תומך רגל ומקל הליכה! How I Became Quadriplegic & my recovery Four years ago I was in a catastrophic motorcycle accident which left me a c6c7 incomplete quadriplegic. After two different surgeries to replace and fuse my spinal cord, I was given a 1% chance of walking or using my arms again of the normal way by the surgeon who performed both emergency surgeries. It was the first time I was given the opportunity to either continue the status quo or to reinvent myself. So I chose the latter… I began a strict regiment of physical therapy meditation and occupational therapy. Six months later I was able to get into a full mobility chair, which was operated by a joystick so I could move with my right hand. The persistence remained and I kept at it given what I could do with my body at that point. With continued work I was able to eventually get into a fully not assistive wheelchair which I was able to push with both my arms. Now four years later I am working with only the aid of a leg brace and a walking cane!

Accepting Despair I was in the depth of despair three times in my life: when I learned that my son was born with Down syndrome; when my husband passed away suddenly; and when I became paralyzed from the waist down due to acute aortic dissection in 2008. Each time, I felt desperate and spent days crying. I can say, however, that I’m at my happiest now. Each one of those despairs has taught me to appreciate simple happiness in everyday life. I have learned that despair can be the beginning of new life. Having a Son with Down Syndrome Now I am sharing my experience and viewpoints as a mother of a child with Down syndrome, a former non-disabled person, and a wheelchair user. As an advocate on accessibility and inclusion, I have also been giving talks on what we call “Universal Manners”. I hope I can share my observations and feelings with you. My son, Ryota, has Down syndrome as well as intellectual disability. When I gave birth to him in a hospital, no one gave us blessings. I was so perplexed and worried that I even thought of killing us both. Ryota grew up very slowly, but he acquired skills one by one. When he was going to enter a primary school in the neighborhood, I made sure he could say “thank you,” “I’m sorry,” and “hello.” He was not able to speak well, but I was sure that these phrases would help him make friends. He learned to say “thank you” when someone helped him. “I’m sorry” when he couldn’t follow some rules at school. “Hello” to his classmates in the morning. His classmates weren’t sure how to communicate with him at first. But gradually, they started interacting, and Ryota was often seen at the center of a circle of friends. Ryota may not be able to study or speak, but it doesn’t matter. He and his friends taught me that. My worries dissipated and I came to be proud of him. A favorite childhood memory of Ryota The most memorable event in Ryota’s childhood is a sports meet in his kindergarten. The five-year-old class was to compete in a relay race. Everyone took it very seriously, and only those kids who were good runners took part in the race. Ryota, however, didn’t fully understand the situation and volunteered to be on the team. He has hypotonic and cannot run fast. If he joined the team, they were bound to lose. I was about to tell him to step down. Then, one of his classmates, suggested. “Ryota cannot run fast. So, we should run faster to cover him. Let’s practice!” In the sports meet, Ryota’s team stood out in passing a baton and became the first place. My eyes welled up as they were cheered and praised. “Ryota is our friend. There is nothing special in running together. If he wants to run, he should.” The children had a very simple idea. Ryota and I cherish those days he shared with them. 200,000,000% fine I was hospitalized for two years between 2008 and 2010, and underwent three big surgeries. For several months after the third surgery, I could hardly move and was confined to bed. Irritation, sadness, and the feeling of being useless. I was overwhelmed with the fact that I was moving further away from the society. I told my daughter, Nami, who was a high school student, that I could no longer live. After some silence, she said to me. “If you want to die, you can die. But I don’t care if you cannot walk or leave your bed. For me, you are my mother, no matter. We will be fine. 200,000,000 % fine. Trust me.” When I was assured that we would be fine by my daughter who was so dear to me, I felt I could trust her and accept everything in life. Gradually, I came to feel I wanted to live. 200,000,000% fine. Nami’s words still hold me up. Later I found out where the number came from – a lottery poster!

Great Mask if you care for it properly I use 1 of a few sleep masks that I own each night. This one is awesome. See the link and photo of it below! This is only one of the things I use/do to get a good nights sleep. Directions on how to use an Effective Sleep Mask Never put it in a dryer but, if you put it in a bra wash bag buy itself it should be fine in the washer if you have quality detergent and don't wash on the most rigorous setting or in hot water. This particular mask prefers cool/cold water. If you put it in a dryer unlike some masks (even if it was on a low/medium heat setting) it can start to detach the inner layer of it and over time pretty quickly you'll see damage to the front eye area too. So, DON'T put it in a dryer. Hand wash it ideally, and put it on a super absorbent thin towel on a flat surface somewhere outside of your room to allow it to air dry over a couple days tops (or possibly dry it without a towel underneath if you can, based off details shared below). Depending on your dryer, what else you need to air dry, and the temperature of the heat used while your dryer is on. You may put some sleep masks outside of the dryer on top of it when it's drying other items inside. This will speed up your drying time of the mask(s)/other air dry clothing items. I use a small bit of my shampoo in my bathroom sink to wash all/most of my face masks this way most of the time. I pat or stir the warm water a little to make the shampoo suds and wash my hair brushes and sometimes my bras around the same time. My hair brushes do get a different sink of water and shampoo then the masks, but are washed in the same way and bristles down. I usually wash 2-3 masks at once. As for the mask and my experiences with others- I've tried several. It helps me fall asleep and stay asleep blocking most to all of the light. It's not HOT, It fits great, has a deep eye area so it doesn't interfere with eye movement/makeup, and is Oeko-Tex certified! Mine is black inside and lavender on the outside. I DO NOT replace my eye mask every 3 months like the sales page states I should. I've owned mine for about 11 months now. It may need replacement soon. I do not need the ear plugs, but you can use them if you do. The ear plugs are pretty good quality overall but, I prefer orange ones with rims when/if I ever need ear plugs.

מחלת גרייבס באתי לבקר את המשפחה. בזמן הביקור עברתי התקף לב ושבץ. הייתי בתרדמת רפואית. לאחר שהייתי במחלקה לטיפול נמרץ במשך שבועיים, אובחנתי עם מחלת גרייבס. אני בהחלט לא זוכרת כלום. מדי פעם אני נזכרת שהתעוררתי מהתרדמת, אבל שום דבר מעבר לכך מהאירוע. Graves and graves eye disease I came to visit family. While I was visiting them, I had a heart attack/stroke/seizure. I was then placed in a medically induced coma. Later on after being in ICU for 2 weeks, I was diagnosed with Graves and Graves Eye Disease. I definitely don’t remember anything. Every now and then I’ll remember waking up from the coma, but I mainly can’t remember anything from that event.

Fashionable Prosthetic Covers Advances in technology have made prosthetic limbs both more accessible and visually appealing to people who wear them. Prosthetic covers are now pieces of wearable artwork, and we have collected our top 5 favorite fashionable prosthetic cover companies. #1. UNYQ yoocan community member, Lisa Ludwig (@lisaludwigxo), is an ambassador for UNYQ. This prosthetic company designs custom stylish prosthetic covers for lower limb amputees. Lisa does not have enough good things to say about this company. "Through this partnership I have had the chance to promote the UNYQ covers, covers of which have changed my life by providing me comfort and self esteem." For Lisa, this has been a great opportunity to have the chance to link amputees to a company in which she truly believes in. Website: www.unyq.comInstagram @unyq Lisa's Ambassador Page: https://m.facebook.com/UNYQambassadorlisa/ #2. ALLELES Design Studio Alleles aims to empower amputees through providing their choice of self-expression with affordable fashion-forward prosthetic covers for legs and arms. The mission of Alleles is to help amputees express their creativity, individuality, and confidence through providing more cosmetic options for their prosthesis. They are influenced by the eyeglass industry, and use fashion and design to transform prosthetic cosmesis from a medical device into a new stream of fashion. Website: https://www.alleles.ca/ Instagram: @alleles #3. Pro Aesthetic Designs Pro Aesthetic Design is a developing business designing snap fit casings to wrap around Prosthetic Arms. Through various work placements and personal experiences, the founders of Pro Aesthetic Designs conculded that there was a lack of aesthetic consideration. This led to the journey of developing an inexpensive product that is easily used and produced and allows the user to express their creativity through fully customisable templates or a selection of surface designs. Instagram: @proaestheticdesign #4: ART4LEG The ART4LEG cover is shaped into the form of a natural human leg. The unique shape and surface of the cover expresses the lifestyle and character of the person for whom it has been designed. Smooth, patterned, airy and organic designs are used to provide distinctive character and a variety of colours are available for final post-production. The individualized cover is attached to the leg prosthesis in an innovative way using high-powered magnets. These magnets hold the front and back panels tightly together while also making it easy to remove them. The fashionable style and sophisticated functionality of the fairing gives the prosthetic device a brand new dimension. Website: art4leg.com Instagram: @art4leg #5. The Cover Studio Paris® The Cover Studio Paris® is a French design studio dedicated to the cosmetic and artistic covering of prostheses for people wearing aids. The Cover Studio Paris® emerged from a strong intent to share the founder's extensive experience as a designer for the benefit of men and women looking to reassert their identity and distinctiveness. Within the studio, a team of passionate designers, engineers and graphic artists shapes Covers that match your style. Each person is unique and The Cover Studio Paris® helps people reveal their individuality through the next generation of cosmetic and above all artistic coverings for limb prostheses. Website: https://thecoverstudio.com/en/ Instagram: @thecoverstudio_paris #6. U-exist U-exist believes that all people with disabilities deserve to rebuild and express their individuality, creativity and emotions. Through art, U-exist reflects a more contemporary image of disability. They strongly believe in the power of customizing orthopedic equipment to let the individual express his/her personality and style. Website: http://www.u-exist.com/ Instagram: @u.exist Have a prosthetic cover you would like to recommend? Please email jessica@yoocantech.com if you'd like to add your product recommendation to this list. #yoocandoanything #amputee #prostheticcover