Walking tall with the help of prosthetics
The prosthetic leg has changed the life of the 30-year-old social worker and the budding politician from Manchar, Ambegaon taluka, has recently been elected the district president of Prahar Janashakti Party.
In a cruel twist of fate, Farhan Ali Burhan Ali had lost his leg in an accident when he was in his teens. The prosthetic leg has changed the life of the 30-year-old social worker and the budding politician from Manchar, Ambegaon taluka has recently been elected the district president of Prahar Janashakti Party.
“I have been to many doctors and had many operations, but met with no success as I have no knee to hold the prosthetic leg. In 2008, one of the doctors recommended me to use the Ottobock, which boasted of German technology, and the artificial leg cost me ₹2 lakh. Initially it was very good but it would hurt me a lot as the foreign element could not adjust to my body. Even the repairs of the foot were expensive and I stopped wearing it once the doctor told me that it would cost me ₹50,000 to repair it,” said Farhan.
A doctor from the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) artificial limb centre advised him to approach Noble hospital where the Rotary Club of Pune Magarpatta City in collaboration with Noble hospital, Hadapsar, had launched a social initiative called Gift of Mobility in September 2016, to provide affordable artificial prosthetic legs to the amputees from economically weaker sections of society.
Rotary Club of Pune Magarpatta City raised ₹35 lakh under global grant to provide below knees (BK) prosthesis.
“Farhan lost his limb in an accident and was depressed. He turned up at our department of advance prosthetics with the hope of walking and resuming his normal activities. We assessed him and fitted him with a modular prosthesis for free with the help of a reputed NGO. He is now independent in his activities and performs his daily routine with ease. The prosthesis enables him to walk like a normal person independently,” said Dr Sanjeev Kashyap, prosthetic doctor at Noble hospital.
Hemang Kulkarni, member, Rotary Club of Pune Magarpatta City, said, “Farhan had undergone above knee amputation and tried a couple of other artificial legs before but had to discontinue them as they resulted in injury to stump and the weight of the leg. He later approached us.”
“We have given this joy of mobility to over 372 beneficiaries from needy backgrounds over a span of two years. The prosthetic legs are customised to specific people and hence make the person feel comfortable unlike a standard prosthetic limb. Measurements are taken, counselling is carried out and the beneficiaries are made fully aware of the advantages of this leg so that it becomes part of their life and their livelihood too,” he said.
Suryakant Choudhari, president, Rotary Club of Pune Magarpatta City, said that the project is an impactful and socially beneficial project which their club is actively taking up and many more beneficiaries are in the pipeline. He appealed to people to be part of the project and spread the cause to help benefit as many needy beneficiaries as possible.
