Trip to Bosnia

Trip to Bosnia

Larry Wiley, CP

Dear Friends and Contributors,
        I would like to thank everyone that donated supplies, equipment,
components, T-shirts, complete prosthetic appliances, and their prayers for
my recent trip to Sarajevo, Bosnia.
        I was emotionally shocked by the damage I saw when our plane landed
on 3 June 99. The pictures of Kosovo that show buildings totally destroyed
are an accurate representation of the typical Sarajevo building. It has been
4 years since the war has ended and many things have not changed. These
things take much time, equipment, and money.
        I was fortunate enough to work with a young man named Miro. He became
a bilateral above-knee amputee a year after the war when he bent down to pick
up a piece of pipe to sell for salvage. What he thought was a piece of pipe
was a bomb, left by the Serbs. It took both of his legs.
        The prosthetic facility in Sarajevo is called Neretva (named after
the river that winds through the town). They need so much. It was apparent
that they have the skills to make fine prosthetics. They do not have the
supplies to make them. I was able to work with several of their patients and
the fit of the prosthetic devices was as good as any. When I showed them the
componentry that I had brought from the United States they were very pleased.
When I explained that I had much more to send over they were overjoyed. When
I told that prosthetic facilities, foundations, and private citizens donated
these items they were emotionally touched.
        I received a very nice response from many of you on the web. I even
received prostheses from individuals that just wanted to give because they
saw the need. Many thanks go to the Barr Foundation, EBI, Ohio Willow Wood,
Seattle Orthopedic Group, Flo-Tech, Cascade, Fidelity Orthopedic, Floyd Brace
Company, East Cooper Baptist Church, the United States Air Force, the people
of Sarajevo, and each of you that donated your own prosthetic arm or leg. (I
have pictures which I hope to post when I unpack my scanner.)
        Folks, when I think the world is filled with bad people after
watching the news or dealing with an irate person, all I have to do is think
about my experience. Your compassion for those in need, the faces of the
refugee children as we handed out food and support, the expressions of the
prosthetists at the Neretva O&P facility when they received the donated
componentry, and the joy of the Director of Orthopedic Surgery when he
received the donated braces; all of these memories and many more bring a
flood of peace to me. They make me realize the good in people. The good in
you. Thank you.
        (I know there is someone I have missed...I am moving and have
misplaced my list...we have been in hotels since 15 May...please bear with me
until 15 July when we close on our house). I will get the charitable donation
letters out as soon as we unpack. If this is an IRS problem to anyone, please
let me know. If you did not put a value on your donation, please send me that
information.

If anyone would like to donate surgical gloves, surgical masks, sterile
gauze, povidone-iodine antiseptic, fiberglass or plaster bandage. Also, there
is a very great need for hip abduction orthoses for infants and toddlers.
Please , if you have any of these items, contact me, and I will include them
in the next shipment to the Orthopedic Hospital.

        This is not the complete story. I am working on the remaining
shipment to go over to Sarajevo. The young man, Miro (mentioned above) and
his brother are now in New York and will go to Pennsylvania to be fitted by
Shriners for new legs. (We hope to fly him to Charleston, SC, for a visit
with the Team.)

Thank you,

Larry L. Wiley, CP
Floyd Brace Company, Inc.