August 2, 2019
Austin, Texas, Aug. 2, 2019 – Eight-year-old Austin resident Madeline “Mady” Gardner was born without her left arm below-the-elbow. Gardner had never worn a myoelectric prosthetic hand with functioning fingers for everyday activities, until now. She recently became the first person in Texas—and the youngest in the country—to be fit with a new type of 3D-printed bionic arm called the Hero Arm.
Gardner never let her limb difference slow her down and participates in a wide range of activities, including playing flag football on the same team as her little brother, downhill skiing, and doing gymnastics. She’s looking forward to using the Hero Arm as a tool to help her better complete tasks like putting her hair into a ponytail, reading books, golfing, and riding her bike with increased stability.
Last week, Reuters attended Gardner’s final Hero Arm fitting appointment with her Hanger Clinic prosthetist Allison Neil, CPO. From there, Gardner’s story quickly spread across the globe. The following are some of the resulting news stories:
Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/video/2019/08/01/eight-year-old-girl-flexes-new-bionic-ar?videoId=581865248
BBC (UK): https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-49200369/bionic-arm-for-eight-year-old-mady-gardner
The Globe and Mail (Canada): https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/video-eight-year-old-girl-flexes-new-bionic-arm/
WIONews (India): https://www.wionews.com/videos/8-year-old-texan-girl-uses-her-bionic-hand-for-first-time-239890
MSN (US): https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/weather/eight-year-old-girl-flexes-new-bionic-arm/vi-AAFaZSK
Hanger Clinic partnered with U.K.-based Hero Arm developer Open Bionics to bring the technology to the U.S. The Hero Arm is available via Hanger Clinic locations nationwide, with consultation and fitting with Hanger Clinic’s group of national upper limb specialists. For more information, visit www.hangerclinic.com/hero or call 1-877-4HANGER.
About Hanger Clinic – Hanger Clinic provides comprehensive, outcomes-based orthotic and prosthetic solutions at more than 925 patient care locations nationwide, and is part of the Hanger, Inc. ecosystem of diversified companies. Rooted in clinical research, excellence and innovation, its 1,700 board-certified clinicians provide customized solutions for all ages designed to increase the mobility and function of each person they have the honor of serving. For more information on Hanger Clinic, visit HangerClinic.com.
Contact:
Annie Myers
External Relations Manager
(210) 440-7380 or [email protected]